Art Appreciation Post

An essential part of any Parisian experience is to check out the art scene. Paris has one of the best and most expansive art collections in the world. There’s a plethora of museums across the city, and, as part of the program, we get to take tours through a few of them. Here are a few of my highlights!

Musée d'Orsay

Our first scheduled tour was at Musée d’Orsay. This museum is located on the left bank of the Seine and interestingly enough was once home to a train station. The high, vaulted ceilings, long interior corridors, and ornate clocks make this former transportation hub the perfect display for art. Their collection here boasts some of the most famous pieces from the impressionist and post-impressionistic era with paintings from artists such as Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.

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The Louvre

Our second tour was at the Louvre, Paris’ most famous museum. Constructed in the 12th century, the Louvre was originally built as a fortress. However, in 1546, under the rule of King Francis I, it became the official residence for the kings. Today the Louvre houses art from all over the world ranging from antiquity to the Renaissance. I can only describe the museum as enormous. Their collection of art is unlike anything I have ever seen before. As you enter underneath the pyramid, the outside facade provides a unique mix of modern design with classical French architecture. Seeing all the art from so many eras and countries, I literally felt like I was walking through history.

The grand entrance through the pyramid:

The tour began by viewing the fortress portion of the castle - check out this original construction!

The Louvre has some of the most famous and well-known works of art. It's crazy to be able to see them in person!

More Museums

Beyond our Travel Study Itinerary, I was determined to see more of Paris' magnificent museums in my free time. Not wanting to miss out on anything, we decided to go to L’Orangerie. Tucked away in the corner of the Jardin de Tuileries, this museum was originally built for an orange grove in the garden. In 1922, L’Orangerie was converted to a museum and became famous for hosting Monet’s water lily paintings. The pieces are massive and absolutely stunning. Situated on a curved surface, the paintings wrap around the room and completely encompass the viewer in their colors, textures, and beauty. While Monet is usually the main attraction, this museum also has pieces from Cezanne, Renoir, and Picasso to round out the collection.

We started our museum adventure with a stroll through the Tuileries. I love the perfectly groomed trees and long pathways.

If the calendar works out in your favor, it is good to note that several museums are free the first Sunday of the month! On my list still is Centre Georges Pompidou (which has contemporary art and has an amazing rooftop), the Picasso Museum in the Marais, and the Dior Exhibition at Musée des Arts Decoratifs.

Reflections on Art I’ve thoroughly enjoyed exploring the museums of Paris. The number of museums and exhibitions is incredible - the few that I've described here are a mere drop in the bucket of all Paris can offer. For me, art is a great way to immerse in history and take an adventure through time. It is so exciting to see the works of artists that I have read about so often in my textbooks and discussed in class. While one can learn about art online or in class, it is meant to be enjoyed and experienced in person. France has a long history which is on display and can be experienced through their many museums. So far, Travel Study has been full of experiential learning with informative guided tours and the flexibility to discover more of the city and culture in our free time. The art and museums of Paris have been a great place to explore and to practice our French.