Monday, November 26, 2018

Art Appreciation

Musée du Cluny

The perfect shirt for going to an art museum.
Throughout the past week's visit, and on many past trips to Paris, I have been interested in the way that my fellow museum-goers reacted to the art and to the environment of museums. In the last few years, the popularity of selfies has affected many art spaces, to the extent that at times half the people in a crowd seem to have their backs to the famous paintings or sculptures. Also, people following a guide often seem to me to be paying less attention to the actual works of art than people alone.

This tall thin guide seemed perfect for explaining tall thin Gothic sculptures!

The famous Unicorn Tapestries in a special darkish room. Almost religious!

The Centre Pompidou: Museum of Modern Art

At the major museums there's always a line. When we arrived, the line at the Pompidou went all the way across the
plaza in front of the museum, and it continued to be a similar length whenever we looked down from the height of the building. The line at the Musée d'Orsay was much longer and slower.

You ride up the "naked mole rat" tubes to get to the exposition space.



The Musee d'Orsay

The expo on Picasso was fabulous and VERY crowded.

The Orangerie: Home of the giant Monet Water Lillies





The Louvre: Biggest selfie opportunity of all!

Sometimes it's hard to see the Mona Lisa behind the crowd. She's way back there! 
The Venus de Milo.

The name of this sculpture: "Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss." I wonder what the children were learning.

6 comments:

Jeanie said...

I hardly saw the Mona Lisa! That crowd was how I felt in the first room of the Mucha exhibit but fortunately, it thinned out as the rooms got larger. Good thing, as it was fabulous. You got in a lot over a short period of time!

Sami said...

I enjoyed your visit to the Paris Museums.
On my visit a few years ago I loved the Musee D'Orsay, but found the Louvre too crowded.
I certainly can't understand selfies in front of art pieces or monuments...
Have a lovely week Mae.

Debbie at Travel with Intent said...

Art appreciation in a variety of ways! I suppose posing in front of a work is, at least in part, a way of showing how much you like it.

Jenny Woolf said...

I have seen some wonderful things at Paris art museums but occasionally I feel like that little boy sitting in the corner! :)

Tina said...

I would love to see the Louvre one day, thanks for sharing these phenomenal pieces of art. How I'd love to see that Monet.
Long, long time ago I went to the RijksMueseum in Amsterdam and would love to go back.

Brona said...

I see the crowds in front of the Mona Lisa haven’t changed since 1991 when I was there!!