We're staying with Dodo's cousin in her two bedroom apartment in the Marais. It's very comfortable, perhaps too comfortable. I had to set myself a daily goal just to force myself out and about. Usually it's something simple like "tomorrow my goal is to eat confit de canard." I've been very successful I'll have you know. By those standards, a trip across the river to the Orsay museum is epic. I'd never been and it was time to rectify the oversight.
The building was originally a train station which opened in 1900 and went out of favor within 40 years. It was almost knocked down and replaced with a hotel but the powers that be came to their senses and turned it into a museum. The tracks were filled in and rooms were added along the platforms and behind.
I went for the building more than that art, however, within a few minutes of browsing I'd changed my thinking. Some of the most famous impressionists are here and recognizable, even to me.
I used to have a print of this work from Manet over my fireplace in Brooklyn. It was strange to be looking at the real thing. I'd thought my print was a bit washed out - but so is the original, it turns out.
This is an attractive, happy building due to the soaring roof and abundant light. It's the perfect antidote to the cold, dark, drizzle outside.
There are many sculptures on display, some larger than others.
There is even a small replica of the statue of liberty.
All the famous French sculptors are represented, including Rodin and Camille Claudel. I liked this one, by a lesser known (to me) sculptor. It's not often you see a gator in a French sculpture.
Just as I was about to leave I noticed some small sculptures in a glass case by an artist I'd never heard of: Leopold Chauvaux. They seemed to be intentionally ugly.
Chavaux was a physician, author, painter and sculptor. He is known for a book he wrote about his time treating soldiers in the trenches of WWI.
Someone at the Orsay cheekily titled these three sculptures as "Monster", "Monster" and "Self-portrait?"
No comments:
Post a Comment