The Railway Station Turned Orsay Museum...

We were greeted by a long lineup when we arrived at the Musée D'Orsay but thankfully we had our museum passes so we didn't have too long of a wait!

SSD_8640The Orsay is located in a former railway station that was built in 1900. The art in the museum dates back to the same time period and includes impressive paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It is well known for its extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces - the largest collection in the world - by painters including Monet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne and van Gogh.

The building is a work of art in itself and operated as a railway station until SSD_86691939 when its short platforms were no longer suitable for the longer trains that were used for mainline services. When we began our tour of the museum, we arrived at the concourse filled with sculptures. Winding our way from the main floor to the top floor, we arrived at the Impressionist Gallery which displays the masterpieces of the Impressionist movement from 1860 to 1900. We didn't realize the scale of some of these masterpieces.

One of my favourites is Degas' statue of a ballerSSD_8655ina, dressed in her tutu and dancing slippers. Other artists of the day commented at the painter's efforts to include all of the casual details including dancers who are adjusting their ribbons, yawning and chatting.

Another favourite is van Gogh's Starry Night which he painted in Arles, France in 1888. When he painted this picture, his journal noted that he chose colours for the feelings they induced and that, instead of attempting to paint the colours that were before him, he would use colours that expressed himself.

Paris Musee D'Orsay Claude Monet 1899 Nympheas Water Lily Basin Green HarmonyBefore leaving the museum we tracked down some paintings of Monet's lilies. It is said that Monet considered his garden at Giverny to be his finest masterpiece and the landscapes of water and reflections that he painted so well became his signature trademark for all to enjoy years later.

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