Curated by the Shanghai Museum's team, the exhibition will consist of six chapters — the prologue features Realism, the Barbizon School and the Prelude to Impressionism; the second and third chapters Center Stage: The Birth of Impressionism Through its Exhibition and More Brilliance: The Emergence of Neo-Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Showcase will bring together works by some of the most celebrated masters, including six Monet paintings selected out of 19 in the Pola Museum collection.

The fourth chapter Legacy of Light: Modern Art After Impressionism consists of works by Matisse, Picasso and Braque, showing the emergence of Fauvism, Cubism and the colorful Modernism art scene.

The fifth chapter Echoes: Western-style Painting in the East brings together paintings by Asian artists reflecting how they were influenced and inspired by Impressionism.