At the start of a new fall season, major museum exhibitions focus on ancient cultures and their legacies while a varied range of exhibitions explore the ways that noted artists have been influenced in their work.
Domestic
Atlanta -- "The Louvre and the Ancient World," an exhibition of treasured antiquities from the Paris museum from Oct. 16 to Sept. 7, is a highlight of the High Museum of Art's fall season. "Inspiring Impressionism," an exhibition exploring the influence of Old Masters on Impressionist painters, also opens at the High on Oct. 16 and runs to Jan. 13.
Baltimore -- A relatively unexplored area of Henri Matisse's work is featured in "Matisse: Painter as Sculptor" at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Oct. 28 to Feb. 3. Pictured, Matisse's "The Pink Nude."
The significance of artistic repetition, illustrated through the work of 12 painters, is the theme of "Deja Vu? Revealing Repetition in French Masterpieces" at the Walters Art Museum, Oct. 7 to Jan. 1.
Boston -- The decorative arts are featured in "Symbols of Power: Napoleon and the art of the Empire Style, 1800-1815" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Oct. 21 to Jan. 27.
Charlottesville, Va. -- The drawings that served as an inspiration for a photographer's work are featured in "William Christenberry: Site/Possession" at the University of Virginia Art Museum from Oct. 19 to Dec. 23.
Chicago -- More than 130 maps, some dating back to ancient Rome and Babylonia, are featured in "Maps: Finding Our Place in the World" at the Field Museum, Nov. 2 to Jan. 28.
Dallas -- The work of a Mexican artist and his use of a circle motif is highlighted in "Gabriel Orozco: Inner Circles of the Wall" at the Dallas Museum of Art, Oct. 4 to March 30.
Dayton, Ohio -- Sculpture, mosaics, textiles and jewelry play a vivid role in "The Roman World: Religion and Everyday Life" at the Dayton Art Institute through Jan. 6.
Detroit -- The world premiere of the David DiChiera opera "Cyrano" is the attraction at the Detroit Opera House, Oct. 13 to 28.
Houston -- The International Quilt Festival is at the George Brown Convention Center, Nov. 1 to 4.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science exhibits works from the Shanghai Museum in "Treasures From Shanghai: 5,000 Years of Chinese Art and Culture" through Jan. 6.
Los Angeles -- The influence of cinema on an artist's work is explored in "Dali & Film" at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Oct. 14 to Jan. 6.
The Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on the work of an acclaimed contemporary Japanese artist in "Murakami" from Oct. 29 to Feb. 11.
"Reflecting Antiquity: Modern Glass Inspired by Ancient Rome," at the Getty Villa from Oct. 18 to Jan. 14, shows how discoveries at Pompeii and Herculaneum influenced modern glass artists.
Minneapolis -- "Frida Kahlo," at the Walker Art Center from Oct. 27 to Jan. 20, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the artist's birth with an exhibition of 50 of her paintings and informal family photos.
New York -- The Metropolitan Museum of Art takes visitors back thousands of years to view 70 statues and statuettes in precious metals in "Gifts for the Gods: Images From Egyptian Temples" from Oct. 16 to Feb. 18. In "Tapestry in the Baroque: Threads of Splendor," from Oct. 17 to Jan. 6, the Met features a comprehensive survey of 17th century European tapestry. Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise" is on display at the Met from Oct. 30 to Jan. 13.
An unusual exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum focuses on colorful carousels created by immigrant Jewish woodcarvers from the 1880s to the 1920s. "Gilded Lions and Jeweled Horses: The Synagogue to the Carousel" runs from Oct. 2 to March 23.
More than 150 paintings and drawings by a Viennese Expressionist, along with a reconstruction of the artist's studio, are on display at the Neue Galerie from Oct. 18 to June 30 in "Gustav Klimt: The Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky Collections."
"World Heritage Sites in Croatia" is the attraction at the World Monument Fund Gallery through Nov. 27.
Grace Kelly is recalled in an exhibition featuring home movies, news clippings and her personal belongings. "Grace: Princess of Monaco" is at Sotheby's from Oct. 15 to 26.
Nearly 50 works are included in the retrospective "Martin Puryear" at the Museum of Modern Art, Nov. 4 to Jan. 14.
The International Caribbean Art Fair at the Puck Building, Nov. 1 to 4, features works by 120 artists of Caribbean heritage.
The first exhibition at the new Marlborough Chelsea Gallery displays the large sculptures of a noted public artist. "Tom Otterness: The Public Unconscious" runs from Oct. 4 to Nov. 3.
Major performers from abroad are featured in the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave Festival, Oct. 2 to Dec. 16; Carnegie Hall's "Berlin in Lights," Nov. 2 to 18 with the Berliner Philharmoniker; and City Center's presentation of the National Theater of Greece, Oct. 10 to 14.
Philadelphia -- In an exhibition developed in association with London's National Gallery and Canada's National Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is presenting the first major exhibition of the early career of a noted Impressionist. "Renoir Landscapes" runs from Oct. 4 to Jan. 6. Pictured, "Jardin d'Essai," an oil painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Pittsburgh -- If you can't get to Australia, you might visit the Steel City from Oct. 10 to Nov. 17, when the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Australia Festival showcases some 30 performances and four art exhibitions by contemporary Australian artists in sites throughout the city's cultural district.
Sedona, Ariz. -- The great outdoors is the setting for the third annual Plein-Air Festival hosted by the Sedona Arts Center at the L'Auberge de Sedona and other locations. From Oct. 22 to 28, more than 100 artists will not only paint in the open air but offer demonstrations and workshops.
San Francisco -- About 70 works are included in the de Young Museum exhibition, "The Sculpture of Louise Nevelson: Constructing a Legend" from Oct. 27 to Jan.13. Through Feb. 24, the museum looks at the work of the noted photographer known as Chim in "David Seymour (Chim)."
Washington -- The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden looks at the works of an artist in the last decade of his life in "Morris Louis Now: American Master Revisited" through Jan. 6.
International
Berlin -- Sixteen monumental bronze sculptures by Fernando Botero can be viewed through Nov. 25 in the Lustgarten and in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Brussels -- "Rubens: A Genius at Work," at the Fine Arts Museums of Belgium, features 50 works by the Flemish master along with works by such noted contemporaries as van Dyck. The exhibition runs through Jan. 27.
Budapest, Hungary -- The annual Budapest Autumn Festival of film, theater, music and dance will be held from Oct. 12 to 21 in locations throughout the city.
Devonshire Parish, Bermuda -- The 12th annual Bermuda Music Festival will be held from Oct. 3 to 6 at the National Sports Centre. Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and Earth, Wind & Fire are among the headliners.
Isle of Man, England -- The Isle of Man takes on a new identity for a festival of dance, music, food and sports to benefit cancer research. The Isle of Woman Festival runs in several towns from Oct. 24 to 30.
London -- The Pulse Contemporary Art Fair, which has established itself in Miami and New York, opens its first London program at the Mary Ward House from Oct. 11 to 14.
Munich -- Through Jan. 8 the Pinakothek der Moderne Museum features "Max Beckman in Amsterdam," an exhibit focusing on the artist's years in exile when he completed one-third of his work.
Richmond, England -- The Royal Botanical Gardens just outside of London has an exhibition of 28 large sculptures by Henry Moore on display through March 30.
Stuttgart, Germany -- If you miss Munich's celebrated Oktoberfest, which runs through Oct. 7, there's still time to catch another lively German event, the Cannstatter Vasen Folk Festival, in the Cannstatter Wasen fairgrounds through Oct. 14.
Vienna -- Vienna Design Weeks, from Oct. 3 to 21, includes programs at the Walking Chair Gallery, Imperial Furniture Collection and other locations. It culminates in Blickfang 2007 from Oct. 19 to 21, when the Museum of Applied Arts becomes a shoppers' mall with 140 young designers exhibiting their works.
Longtime arts and tourism writer Alvin H. Reiss is editor of Arts Management and author of eight books, including his latest, "The ReissSource Directory of the Arts" (AEBMedia, Chicago).