Musee D’Orsay – A Glorious Walk Through Time
Believe it or not, some say the majestic Musee d’Orsay is even better than the Louvre. I am on the fence on this one as both are exquisite and unique. The Orsay boasts the most complete set of rich impressionist and post-impressionist paintings in the world – 80,000 works of art in all. Pretty impressive, huh? Being am aficionado of the genre, I felt I had found the “lost city of gold”. Bold, larger-than-life statues plus paintings of masters such as Renoir, Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Toulouse-Lautrec, and more come to life in this three-level museum located in the converted Orsay Railway Station.
Originally built to house the first electrified city rail terminal, it also included a hotel. Did I mention the museum is bathed in sunlight streaming through glass vaulted ceilings, providing an extra wow factor? While perusing the galleries, I found myself imagining what it would be like to be a train traveler in the 1900’s, complete with my Victorian dress and luggage, waiting to be transported to an exciting destination.
Within this stately building, surrounded by beautiful cream and green colored tiles, and rounded roof, it is easy to imagine yourself immersed in the grace of the 1900’s, when the museum was created. Upon entering the Orsay, there are a myriad of sculptures to marvel at, including a model of the Statue of Liberty! Nearby there is Napoleon looking very noble in an equestrian statue, Hercules as “the archer” – a sculpture created with amazing symmetry and tension.
A testimony to the peace and harmony of the Victorian age, the museum transported me into the elegant world of” impressionists, where men wore top hats, and women strolled in parasols. One of my favorites is The Luncheon on Grass” by Edouard Manet. This provocative (and considered scandalous for the time!) painting depicts a naked women and a semi-clothed woman at a picnic in the park with several men, who seemed oblivious to the women’s attire- or lack of it, I should say. Another favorite was Renoir’s “Bal Moulin Galette,” which poses the artist’s “lens” at men and women dancing and eating cake in a park, blithely savoring the day.
Classics like Van Gogh’s Starry Night and his self-portrait are displayed as well as hundreds of others. Surprising highlights that are not paintings nor statues are the huge see-through clocks with Roman numerals at different parts of the museum – great for creative photo ops! Built of glass and steel, these vast timepieces were essential for a train station. The ornate golden clock is near the entrance, and the Musee d’ Orsay clock is on the 5th level (a bit tricky to find but worth the effort. If you get a bite at the Cafe Campana Brassier, you’ll actually be eating behind the clock plus you’ll have a view of the Seine and Right Bank. A win win. And don’t forget the second floor – a ballroom with grandiose chandeliers!
Leaving the Orsay felt like waking up from a dream – one I didn’t really want to wake up from.
TIP: Leave yourself one to two days to see everything this museum has to offer – and get tickets early!