Closed for renovation work since January 2000, completely reviewed and restructured, the Musée de l’Orangerie was reopened to the public in May 2006. Located in the Place de la Concorde, it is a little jewel in the Parisian museum landscape. If you love Impressionism and Monet (and you can’t love the former without the latter), you have to experience this museum, chosen and arranged by Claude Monet himself to showcase his eight “signature" masterpieces, the Nymphéas.
Inside: Two new rooms, oval shaped, host eight lar.JPG)
ge Monet waterlillies. The rooms are aseptic, white walls, white veils covering the ceiling, it feels like a spaceship. But what is really extra-terrestrial is on the walls. Slightly curving following the oval shape of the rooms, in the first space four beautiful water reflections of lilies, trees, and leaves are the most impressive statement of the impressionist Master. Monet played with the color, each painting stressing a different reflection dominated at time by blue, green, or yellow. In the second room, you can admire the reflection of tree trunks on the water. This is amazing stuff. Just sit on one of the benches in the middle of the room and relax. The museum is a “haven of peaceful meditation,” which reminds one of the futuristic room at the end of time and space in.JPG)
2001: A Space Odyssey. If you are short of time, a half an hour is enough. But one should not miss the remaining collection downstairs. On concrete walls, one can admire a fabulous concentration of masterpieces from the collection of art merchant Paul Guillaume, a highly original insight into modern art featuring Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh, Rousseau, Matisse, Derain, Modigliani, Soutine, Utrillo and Laurencin. My favorites are: “Fraises” by Renoir (1905), “Portrait de M.elle Chanel” by Laurencin (1923), and “Odalisque a la culotte grise” by Matisse (1927). This museum is a gem. Don’t miss it. (Last visit 10/2008)
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ge Monet waterlillies. The rooms are aseptic, white walls, white veils covering the ceiling, it feels like a spaceship. But what is really extra-terrestrial is on the walls. Slightly curving following the oval shape of the rooms, in the first space four beautiful water reflections of lilies, trees, and leaves are the most impressive statement of the impressionist Master. Monet played with the color, each painting stressing a different reflection dominated at time by blue, green, or yellow. In the second room, you can admire the reflection of tree trunks on the water. This is amazing stuff. Just sit on one of the benches in the middle of the room and relax. The museum is a “haven of peaceful meditation,” which reminds one of the futuristic room at the end of time and space in.JPG)
2001: A Space Odyssey. If you are short of time, a half an hour is enough. But one should not miss the remaining collection downstairs. On concrete walls, one can admire a fabulous concentration of masterpieces from the collection of art merchant Paul Guillaume, a highly original insight into modern art featuring Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Van Gogh, Rousseau, Matisse, Derain, Modigliani, Soutine, Utrillo and Laurencin. My favorites are: “Fraises” by Renoir (1905), “Portrait de M.elle Chanel” by Laurencin (1923), and “Odalisque a la culotte grise” by Matisse (1927). This museum is a gem. Don’t miss it. (Last visit 10/2008) 