Museums in Paris: Musée d'Orsay #5

We visit the Musée d'Orsay every now and then, taking advantage of our annual pass.  Out visits are typically short and focused.  We might view a temporary exhibition or paintings by specific artists. 

    

The other day was an exception.  Our goal was to view the Orsay's collection of van Gogh paintings.  We did so but then we rambled all around the museum, finding masterpieces tucked away here and there.  At one point, we were leaving the museum and, as we walked by a gallery, yet another  painting caught our attention.  So, we spent more time viewing it and other masterpieces in the same gallery.  After a few hours in the museum, we pulled ourselves away and departed.  

Here are some of the paintings we discovered.

In a hard-to-find corner of the museum, we found the Philippe Meyer collection, with some wonderful paintings.  

Marie-Chantal was surprised at the Giacometti painting below, because we always think of him as a sculptor.  

Jean-Claude especially liked the Édouard Vuillard painting below, because it reminded him of many  walks in the Tuileries garden.  

In another part of the museum, we discovered some early Monet paintings.

 

Below is a portrait of Monet at age 34, painted by close friend August Renoir.

We made a surprising discovery.  The iconic American painting "Whistler's Mother" is in France at the Orsay.  Who knew?

We also discovered some portraits by Manet. 

In still another part of the museum, we viewed some Toulouse-Lautrec paintings, including his version of Le Bois sacré.    

The original Le Bois sacré painting (pictured below) was by Frenchman Pierre Cécile Puvis de Chavannes.  It depicts an idyllic scene in a forest with muses and various partially clad women and boys.  

Le Bois sacré by Pierre Cécile Puvis de Chavannes (1884)

It turns out that Toulouse-Lautrec was not fond of the original painting.  His version is a parody of the original with the addition of modern inventions (a clock) and a large group of people in modern clothes.  An amusing addition in Toulouse-Lautrec's version is a short man (probably Toulouse-Lautrec) urinating in front of a police officer.  

Parody and humor in art.  Who knew?

During our visit, we also viewed one of the very large exterior clocks from inside the museum.  The face of the clock is glass.  So, we could view the scene beyond.  If you look carefully, you can see Sacré-Cœur basilica to the left and the giant Ferris wheel and our apartment to the right.  

Thanks for visiting the Musée d'Orsay again with us.