Tag Archives: French Art

The Orangerie

The Orangerie

Ann: despite the constant cold rain today, the lure of the Orangerie was irresistable.

Derain, The Niece, Orangerie

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, Orangerie, Woman in a White Hat

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 Orangerie Portrait of his son

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, Orangerie

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, Orangerie

Renoir, Claude Renoir, 1905

The trip was well worth the raindrops.

The Pompidou

Michael, Ann, and I went to the Pompidou the first day, jet-lagged-excited.

Pompidou Museum

Pompidou Museum exterior

 

Pompidou Museum Terrace

Apres-lunch. View from the restaurant terrace.

After lunch: on the terrace of the 6th floor restaurant overlooking Paris

First we had lunch, of course, with a good red wine. Photo opportunity on the 6th floor of the Pompidou, with Paris in the background.

 

 

The Pompidou Miro

Ann Surrounded by Miro Paintings

Pompidou Miro

Joan Miro

 

Pompidou Miro

Joan Miro

Then off to view the art works.

Ann: my reaction to the Pompidou was amazement at the sheer number of pieces of the artists I like, such as the Spanish painting by Joan Miro. And by how many large canvases Miro painted. Previously I had seen only small works of his.

 

 

Pompidou Matisse Blouse roumaine

Matisse, La Blouse roumaine, 1940

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The paintings by Matisse were overwhelming in their beauty and number.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pompidou Matisse Pellerin

Matisse, Auguste Pellerin II, 1917

Pompidou Matisse le violinste

Matisse Le violinste 1918

Pompidou Matisse Prozor

Matisse, Greta Prozor, 1916

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And those of Kandisky!

Pompidou, Kandinsky, Bogen

 

Pompidou sculpture

Sculpture uniting the interior of the Museum and the exterior surroundings

Lunch on the Pompidou Terrace

With its large floor to ceiling windows and sculpture that was kind-of inside and sort-of outside, the building pulled together the art inside with  the city of Paris from almost every view on each floor.

 

 

 

 

 

Ann reflecting on experiencing the Pompidou. Sheer Joy.