The Orangerie
Ann: despite the constant cold rain today, the lure of the Orangerie was irresistable.
Derain, The Niece…,1931
The Orangerie is a manageable size, compared to the Musee d’Orsay and certainly to the Louvre.
Thus I was able to visit this, my favorite, several times.
Picasso, Woman in a White Hat, 1920
Even in the rain, lines and lines of people: the Museum Pass saved me. Using the special door for advanced reservations, I entered within a minute.
Thus I was quickly able to see this intriguing Picasso.
Cezanne, Portrait of his son, 1881
The Orangerie is known for its set of Monet’s “Water Lillies.” They are in the basement. Perhaps less well known is that the Orangerie is also home of the collection of Jean Walter and Paul Guillaume.
Guillaume was a Paris art dealer, collector and supporter of some of the Impressionists. Upon his death in 1934, his wife Jean Walter completed his collection and donated it to the French state in 1954. The collection is full of the works of Renoir, Cezanne, Rousseau, Modigliani, Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Utrillo, and Soutine.
Matisse, the Violinist
I saw only one painting of Matisse that I had ever viewed before (and that was in San Francisco). To see all those others felt so fresh and inspiring.
Renoir, Claude Renoir, 1905
The trip was well worth the raindrops.