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We were inside the Musée d'Orsay by 9:40 this morning -- ten minutes after it opened. As always, we find
the space in the remade railroad station overwhelmingly impressive. |
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To start the morning, we carefully went through an exhibit about the painter
Henri Rousseau. As always with major art exhibits, the sheer number of works
belonging to museums worldwide was amazing. |
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On the other side of the huge clock on the fifth floor you can
see the Paris skyline. In the far distance: the Sacré-Coeur on Montmartre. |
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The Impressionist collections are vast. We remember the series of paintings of Rouen cathedral from the old
Jeu de Pomme museum where they were shown until the Orsay opened in around 1986. |
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Collections of decorative arts and furniture, especially from the Art Nouveau
era, are also extensive and very wonderful. |
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| Around a dozen Cezannes at least are in the collection. When we were in Provence last week, we thought about this one of Mount Sainte Victoire. |
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| "Dinner" by Félix Vallotton fascinated me
because it shows what the people were eating. |
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After several hours, we walked out of the museum, across the river, and
into the Tuilleries Gardens where a gigantic ferris wheel is in operation. |
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| Beyond the ferris wheel you can see the Eiffel tower. |
We had "wine and cheese" at the home of friends this evening: actually a very informal meal similar to tapas, which were delicious. We enjoyed the conversation -- finding out what our friends thought about many of the important political movements and events going on in the world today.
I went back and read all your posts since you arrived in France. It was not easy – I mean I miss France very much. Since the 1970s I used to fly back home to Paris about twice a year – I counted that I went back at least 60 times. But now I have not been back since 2014. With Jim’s Alzheimer getting worse I don’t think we’ll go. Later I may be able to have someone stay with him and I could go alone, but it won’t be that easy or that much fun, either.
ReplyDeleteThose outdoor markets around Avignon and Arles must be something – I usually bought so many goat cheeses!
I have never been to that cookbook store that I remember, but I have too many cookbooks. When we move to Nashville I’ll take one bookshelf for cookbooks in the kitchen and will have to give away many cookbooks. I also miss eating a good couscous or other Moroccan or Tunisian, or Algerian cuisine. I did find one restaurant in New York that had a good couscous but that is still far away. It looks like you are having a great time, and that makes me happy.
How wonderful this all is! I love d'Orsay so much! That view through the clock has always been one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though you are having a wonderful time in Paris. I'm glad you could connect with friends. Online or off I hope you share some of their feelings about our US/world situation -- which to me is incredibly scary.
Keep having fun!
The Ferris Wheel photos were favorites of mine. Very pretty!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you arrived at Musee d'Orsay at the exact right time before the crowds. How fabulous. Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Here’s my Dreaming of France meme
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