Manet, Munch, Vermeer Come to the Big Screen

Can't travel to London or Oslo to see some of the world's greatest art? No worries — armchair travelers will have an unusual opportunity to view exhibits of work by Edouard Manet, Edvard Munch and Johannes Vermeer on the big screen at Rialto Cinemas Cerrito (Cerrito Theater), 10070 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, beginning this month.

The Rialto Cinemas theater chain is launching Exhibition, a series of art exhibits captured for the screen that will include both the works on display and behind-the-scenes footage.

The series begins Thursday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m. with Manet: Portraying Life, drawing on an exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The show spans Manet's entire career, according to a Rialto press release.

Munch: 150, an exhibit celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Norwegian artist's birth, comes from an the National Museum and the Munch Museum in Oslo. Munch is perhaps best known for his iconic painting The Scream, but the Rialto show will include works from throughout his life. It plays at the Cerrito July 10 and 25.

Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure, scheduled for Oct. 17 and 23, comes from the National Gallery in London.

Admission for each show is $14 for adults and $12.50 for seniors and children. Tickets may be purchased in advance on the Rialto Cinemas Cerrito website.

To arrange attendance for a group of 10 or more people, call Melissa Hatheway at the theater's administrative office at (707) 539-9771.

For more information on special events at the theater, visit rialtocinemas.com/index.php?location=cerrito&page=special_events