Musee d'Orsay- a famous museum, located on the left bank of the Seine. It is a treasure trove of art collections, controversial sculptures, architectural models and unique pieces of furniture.
Today it is certainly visited by guests of the French capital who are interested in culture. It is one of the most unusual and entertaining museums in the world. Popularity brought him a collection of works by such masters as Cezanne, Degas, Monet.
History of the Musée d'Orsay
In 1900, a railway station was built, the opening of which was timed to coincide with the world exhibition. It served the southwestern region of France until 1939. In the future, it was this building that became the home of the museum.
When the station's platforms became too small for extended train sets, it was used to serve smaller trains. During the Second World War, some rooms were occupied by postal services.
After that, the station served as a home for the theater group Renaud-Barrault. Auction houses were located on its territory, the work of the Hotel Drouot was restored, which was open until January 1, 1973.
The main hall of the museum impresses with its scale: its length is 140 meters and its height is 32 meters.
In 1977, the government decided to turn the territory of the station building, which had lost its former gloss, into a museum. The reconstruction took about 10 years, and on December 1, 1986, a solemn opening ceremony was held with the participation of the head of France, Francois Mitterrand.
More than just collections
Orsay museum in Paris- a unique place, within the walls of which collections from different parts of France and the whole world have been collected. There are over 4,000 pieces of art on three floors. Masterpieces by outstanding artists and paintings by almost unknown authors create a unique atmosphere.
The first level is greeted with sculptures by masters Henri Rousseau, Edouard Manet and others. One of the rooms is reserved for the work of Claude Monet. There are his famous works "Olympia", "Regatta in Arzhatey". Another part is dedicated to Gustave Courbet, the founder of realism.
The second level pleases with pictures of representatives of symbolism and naturalism and masterpieces of such sculptors as Rodin, Maillol, Bourdelle. Here it is worth stopping your attention on the dead work of Auguste Rodin "Balzac" and on the statue of the dancer Degas.
Painting Museum d'Orsay continue the work of Bonnard and Vuillard, hidden from view by the huge sculpture "Polar Bear" by the master Pompom. The collection ends with a number of symbolist works, including Klimt and Munch.
The third floor is a heavenly place for connoisseurs of art and beauty. Here you can fully enjoy the works of: Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and others.
The pearl of the collection, which everyone wants to see without exception, is Van Gogh's Starry Night over the Rhone. This picture attracts a large number of visitors.
On the site of the museum, even before the appearance of the station building, there was an ancient palace with the same name. It was subsequently destroyed.
It is impossible to pass by the work of Edouard Manet - "Breakfast on the Grass". One has only to imagine how the representatives of the beau monde of the 19th century were shocked when they saw a naked lady in the company of dressed gentlemen.
On the first level of the terrace running along the Seine, there is a tragedy-filled sculptural group “Mature Age”, the author of which was the student and mistress of Auguste Rodin, Camille Claudel. She was created at a time when Rodin left her for his former lover.
How to get there
If you travel around the city by metro, the nearest station is Solférino on the M12 line. For those who visit Paris for the first time, the main clue is the Boulevard Saint-Germain, in the western area of which the object is located.
It can also be reached by buses: 24, 63, 68, 73, 83, 84, 94.
The cost of the entrance ticket is 12 EUR. Entrance is free for minors and disabled people accompanied.
The museum works according to the following schedule: Monday - day off, Sunday - 9:00-18:00, Thursday - 10:00-21:45, other days - 10:00-18:00.
You can use the services of a guide and book a full tour. The tour usually lasts about 2-2.5 hours. The average cost is 150-170 EUR.
By the way, in order to learn about current events and exhibitions, as well as see the existing collections, you can visit official website of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris– www.musee-orsay.fr .
Works in the Musee d'Orsay
Eugene Delacroix, The Lion Hunt, c. 1854
Gustave Courbet, The Artist's Studio (L'Atelier du peintre): A Real Allegory of a Seven Year Phase in my Artistic and Moral Life, 1855
Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, The Source, 1856
Jean Francois Millet, The Gleaners, 1857
Édouard Manet, Olympia, 1863
Claude Monet, Le déjeuner sur l "herbe, (right section), with Gustave Courbet, 1865-1866
Paul Cézanne, Portrait of Achille Emperaire, 1868
Eugene Boudin, Bathers on the Beach at Trouville, 1869
James McNeill Whistler, Whistler's Mother, 1871
"The Origin of the World" (fr. l "Origine du monde, 1866) is a painting by the realist artist Gustave Courbet, which has long been perceived as an artistic provocation and has not been exhibited for more than 120 years.
Gustave Caillebotte, Les raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers), 1875
Edgar Degas, L'Absinthe, 1876
Self-portrait (1889) by Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh, The Church at Auvers, 1890
Paul Gauguin, Tahitian Women on the Beach, 1891
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Metro: Solferino rer: Museum-d'Orsay
Working hours: Tue-Wed and Fri-Sun from 9:30 to 18:00, Thu from 9:30 to 21:45, closed on Mondays.
Entrance: 8.00€, 5.50€ from 18 to 30 years old, under 18 years old free of charge.
Musée d'Orsay (sometimes translated from French as "Musee d'Orsay") is a world-famous museum located in a former station building on the left bank of the Seine. Its collection is rich in Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works (including Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin), sculptures, architectural models, photographs and even pieces of furniture.
Today the Musee d'Orsay is not just an element of the "mandatory cultural program" for visitors to Paris, but also one of the most interesting and unusual world museums of art and applied arts. It received no small share of its well-deserved popularity thanks to collections of impressionist masterpieces created by such artists as Monet, Degas, Renoir and Cezanne.
By the way, it is in the Musee d'Orsay that you can see paintings by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depicting the life of French cabarets.
A bit of history
And initially, in the fabulous beauty of the museum building, there was a railway station built for the world exhibition of 1900 and serving the southwestern part of France (direction Paris - Orleans) until 1939.
By this time, the station platforms were no longer able to receive trains, the length of which had grown significantly. Thus, this grandiose station had no choice but to start serving only suburban destinations, and during the Second World War, part of its premises were used as a postal center.
After some time, the railway station became the home of the Renaud-Barrault theater troupe, auction houses were housed in the premises, the Hotel Drouot station hotel was restored, which closed only on January 1, 1973.
In 1977, the French government decided to place the museum on the territory of the station building, which had already somewhat dilapidated and lost its former brilliance. The reconstruction lasted almost 10 years, and already on December 1, 1986, one of the best museums in the world - the Musée d'Orsay - was inaugurated by French President Francois Mitterrand.
Musée d'Orsay collection
Why is the Musee d'Orsay unique? Firstly, of course, with its exhibits, specially selected from various museums in France and other countries, and even from private collections, in total it is more than 4,000 works of art from the period 1848-1915! Secondly, the location of the exhibits is also unusual, when great masterpieces coexist in the halls of the museum with little-known canvases.
This contrast gives visitors a unique opportunity to follow the "inner cuisine" of the Modern era - one of the most significant for world culture.
The permanent collection of the museum covers 3 floors.
The exposition, located on the first floor, is represented by sculptural works. Also in the hall there are two rows of small rooms in which the works of the painters Henri Rousseau, Edouard Manet, Camille Corot, the master of political caricature Honore Daumier and others are exhibited.
So, for example, one of the rooms is filled with the works of Gustave Courbet, the founder of realism in painting, while the other is completely dedicated to the work of Claude Monet and stores his works “Regatta in Arzhatey”, “Women in the Garden” and many others.
On the second floor of the museum there are paintings of symbolists and naturalists, canvases of the “academic school”, examples of decorative art of the Art Nouveau era, as well as sculptural creations by Rodin, Bourdelle, Maillol.
Be sure not to miss the scandalous statue of Auguste Rodin "Balzac", where the great writer appears before the visitors of the museum ... in the sculptor's dressing gown. Only such an unusual artistic solution satisfied Rodin. The sculptor's contemporaries were indignant at such an innovative, truly modern approach. It is also worth visiting the statue of the dancer of the chisel of the genius Degas.
Third, the topmost floor of the museum is a real paradise for connoisseurs of art. It is there that visitors most often rush to start their inspection with the paintings of the brilliant Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh. In addition, a separate gallery on this floor is filled with exhibits of oriental art.
H it is worth one only "Breakfast on the Grass" by Edouard Manet! It is hard to even imagine how the cultural community of the nineteenth century was shocked when they saw a canvas on which a naked girl in a very frivolous pose is in the company of dressed men.
And it was this contrast, as well as unusual techniques, that caused deep bewilderment and rejection of the public accustomed to traditional painting.
Van Gogh's deeply philosophical painting "Starry Night over the Rhone" is one of the pearls of the museum's collection, in front of which there are always many visitors. No reproduction can fully convey the greatness of this brilliant work.
The Musee d'Orsay is also interesting because in its halls you can clearly see the famous confrontation between the "academic school" of the nineteenth century and the "salon of the outcasts", in which the Impressionists exhibited their works. Comparison of the paintings of representatives of these two schools allows each visitor to personally verify the true innovation of the Impressionists.
If you have little time and would like to see only the most interesting, be sure to take the plan of the museum at the entrance, because The exposition of the museum is rather confusing. In the best traditions of postmodern!
The Musee d'Orsay in Paris is one of the most famous museums in the French capital. Its name is sometimes translated from French as d'Orsay. It occupies the former station building, located on the left bank of the Seine. It can rightly be called one of the most interesting and unusual museums of applied and artistic art in the world. Therefore, it is a must-see in the list of cultural and historical places in Paris.
A bit about the history of the museum...
Once in the most beautiful building of the museum there was a railway station, which was built for the world exhibition of 1900. It served the entire southwestern part of the country (direction Paris - Orleans) until 1939. During this period, the length of the station platforms already corresponded to large trains. Therefore, the most beautiful station began to serve only suburban areas. During the Second World War, some of its premises were used as a postal center.
After some period of time, the building became a home for the artists of the theater troupe, auction houses were located in the station premises, and even the famous station hotel called Hotel Drouot was restored, which was closed only in January 1973.
And in 1977, the government decided to place the Orsay Museum in a slightly dilapidated station building, which at that time had already lost its former gloss. Reconstruction and repair lasted about ten years. And in December 1986, French President Francois Mitterrand solemnly opened one of the world's best museums, which was named Orsay.
Thus, the railway station, built in 1900 by the famous architect Victor Lalu, found a second life.
Musée d'Orsay opening hours
If you are planning to visit Orsay during your stay in Paris, it would be nice to know the schedule of its work. So, the institution accepts visitors on all days of the week, except Monday, which is a day off. Opening hours: 9.30-18.00. And only on Thursdays the Musée d'Orsay has a longer working day: 9.30-21.45. How much does it cost to visit the gallery? Tickets to the Musee d'Orsay for people over eighteen years old cost from 5 to 8 euros, but young people (under 18 years old) can visit the expositions completely free of charge.
History of Impressionism...
The artistic life of France in the second half of the nineteenth century is the story of a real confrontation between innovative and traditional art, between creative searches for something new and old canons and dogmas. In that distant era, creatively thinking artists called themselves "independent".
In the small village of Barbizon, near Paris, several artists (Millet, Troyon, Daubigny and others) worked on a new kind of landscape, called painting in the open air. Their work served as the basis for the Impressionist painters, who began to depict the landscapes of Brittany, Ile-de-France and Normandy on canvases in a completely different way. Air and light became the central objects of the paintings. It was they who made the canvases of Pissarro, Manet, Monet, Degas, Sisley and Renoir play and vibrate with all sorts of shades of colors. The works of artists sometimes looked like unfinished sketches, as if people conveyed their impressions of everything they saw. Thanks to the journalist Leroy, the new direction was called impressionism, which in French means nothing more than “impression”.
The Impressionists made a great contribution to art. They most decisively updated the technique of painting and subjects. Modern realities appeared on their canvases in all their diversity ... All subjects were depicted in a completely relaxed manner, with the brightness, colorfulness and optimism inherent in the Impressionists. The artists seemed to admire life, nature, the play of water and light. A series of paintings appeared on the same motif: a cathedral, a haystack, a water lily on the water. And the portraits were generally far from the real psychological characteristics. The artists were attracted by the colorful and festive side of life, they focused on the play of light and shadows, the transfer of air space, and the fleeting states of nature.
In the future, the material world "left" the works of the Impressionists so much that the time for change came again, the era of new approaches began. This period was called "Post-Impressionism". Its most famous representatives are Paul Cezan, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Rousseau ... At the same time, such new trends as Art Nouveau, Orientalism, Symbolism and Realism appeared.
Getting to know the museum's collection
The Musee d'Orsay in Paris stands out among other similar institutions with its most famous exhibits, which were once selected from various French galleries and even private collections. It is difficult to imagine how many of them are represented in Orsay. The Musée d'Orsay has over four thousand of the greatest works of art.
The gallery is also known for having exhibits in an unusual arrangement. Here, great masterpieces coexist with little-known works. Such a contrast allows you to feel the true atmosphere of the modern era, which is considered the most significant in the history of world culture.
The masterpieces of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris are housed on three floors of the building. The exposition of the first consists of sculptures. But several rooms are reserved for the works of such famous painters as Camille Corot, Edouard Manet, Henri Rousseau and others.
On the ground floor there are sculptures from 1840-1875. The famous paintings of the Impressionists and the Post-Impressionists are exhibited on the top floor, and it is probably worth visiting from there. On the intermediate floors, sculptural works from the second half of the nineteenth century are exhibited, as well as paintings by naturalists and symbolists. Here you can see examples of decorative art of those times.
Exposition on the first floor
On the first floor, not only the exposition of the gallery is of interest, but also the stunning architecture of the interiors, in which metal structures are wonderfully combined with decorative elements made in the Art Nouveau style. As we have already mentioned, the building at one time was built as a station, not a museum. It is made in the same style as many other buildings of that era: the Petit and Grand Palaces, the Eiffel Tower, Bon Marche department stores and Mamaritin.
If you want to see the works of the Impressionists, then a trip to the Musee d'Orsay will be incredibly interesting for you. The sculptures placed on the ground floor of the gallery deserve the close attention of visitors. In addition, there are several rooms in which the works of Edouard Manet, Henri Rousseau, Camille Corot, Honore Daumier are presented. One of the halls is allocated for the works of Gustave Courbet, who is the founder of realism in painting. There is also a room dedicated to the work of Claude Monet, where you can see such works as "Woman in the Garden", "Regatta in Arzhatey" and many others.
Exhibition on the second floor
A lot of famous works are kept within the walls of the Musée d'Orsay. The paintings presented in the exhibition on the second floor are the paintings of naturalists and symbolists, the work of the "academic school". In addition, there are examples of decorative art dating back to the Art Nouveau era, and sculptures by Maillol, Bourdelle, Rodin.
On the second floor, you should definitely not miss the infamous Balzac statue by Auguste Rodin. Not all contemporaries of the sculptor positively perceived his work, since he depicted the writer in a dressing gown, he found such an artistic solution for his work. Such an innovative approach was simply outraged by many at that time. No less interesting for visitors is the statue of the famous Degas dancer. This is not the first work of the sculptor, but it was she who became the most famous.
Exhibition on the third floor
Art connoisseurs should definitely visit the Musee d'Orsay. The works presented in the gallery are able to bring true pleasure to connoisseurs. It is the third floor that attracts the largest number of guests who are in a hurry to see the paintings of the brilliant Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Edouard Manet live. On the top floor there is also a separate gallery with exhibits of oriental art.
It is worth noting that the Musee d'Orsay keeps a lot of amazing works within its walls. The works that make up the exposition of the gallery are now known and recognized, and in fact many of them at one time did not even want to exhibit, such as, for example, the scandalous painting "Breakfast on the Grass" by E. Manet. In those days, the cultural community was extremely outraged that the artist depicted a naked girl in the company of dressed men. Manet was even denied the opportunity to exhibit the painting at the Paris Salon. Such works were allowed to be shown only in the Salon of the Rejected. But even at this exhibition, the work became a real sensation. Not all viewers liked it: some expressed a lot of criticism, while others, on the contrary, admired the artist's unusual technical techniques.
van Gogh
The Musée d'Orsay attracts fans of Van Gogh's work. His canvas "Starry night over the Rhone" can be safely called the pearl of the gallery. There are always many enthusiastic visitors in front of this picture. Of course, no reproduction is able to fully convey the greatness of this work. "Starry Night" is not an ordinary landscape, but a picture of the world through the eyes of an artist.
The Musee d'Orsay is interesting in that it exhibits the work of representatives of the classical school and representatives of the "Salon of the Outcasts". This allows each guest to compare the paintings of opposite schools and see the innovative techniques that were characteristic of the Impressionists.
Where is the museum?
The Musee d'Orsay is located on the left bank of the Seine, in the seventh arrondissement of Paris, located in the heart of the city. Attractions near the gallery include the Tuileries Garden, Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey, the Latin Quarter and the Louvre.
How to get to the gallery?
You can get to Orsay by metro: line 12, station (terminal) Solferino. In addition, buses pass near the museum: 94, 84, 83, 73, 69, 68, 63, 24. If you decide to use the high-speed train network, then you need to get off at the Musee d’Orsay terminal station.
Museum tours
The administration of the gallery, if necessary, offers to conduct tours of the museum in English. The following excursion programs are possible:
- Museum masterpieces. The tour is for an hour and a half. It includes a visit to the permanent exhibition.
- Art of the nineteenth century. Such a tour is designed for those guests who want to get a deeper understanding of the key artistic movements of the nineteenth century.
The museum is equipped with everything necessary for people with disabilities. Ramps allow guests to move freely around the building.
There is a souvenir shop and a bookstore on the territory of the gallery. On the second floor, visitors can visit the restaurant, which is famous for its stunning ceiling frescoes and carvings. The cost of lunch in an institution costs about 25-50 euros.
Instead of an afterword
In conclusion of the conversation, I would like to note that those visitors who are limited in time and do not have the opportunity to fully view the entire exposition of the museum can receive a building plan at the entrance to the gallery. This will help you quickly navigate and see only the most interesting exhibits. Tourists should know that in Orsay all sorts of thematic events and exhibitions are often held, which may also be of interest to true connoisseurs of art.
Fans of painting, and especially lovers of impressionism, should definitely visit the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The largest exposition is located in a three-story building that was once a railway station. The collection contains paintings and sculptures by European masters of the mid-19th - early 20th centuries, filling the gap in the history of painting between the Louvre and.
From the history of the founding of the Musee d "Orsay
On May 28, 1900, on the left bank of the Seine, directly opposite, the world's first electrified railway station was opened. The architect of the project was Victor Lalu.
Trains departed from Orsay in the direction of Orleans, Toulouse and Bordeaux. For the convenience of passengers, a hotel with 370 rooms, restaurants and event halls was built in the station building. In 1939, the need for the Gare d'Orsay disappeared, as more convenient routes from other railway stations were launched.
In 1971, they decided to demolish the building, but Georges Pompidou, who at that time was the President of France, expressed the idea of converting the station into a museum. In 1978, the building was given the status of a historical monument, and already during the presidency of Giscard d "Estaing, the station began to be reconstructed, transforming it into a museum. Work was carried out over 6 years - from 1980 to 1986.
In 1986 the museum opened its doors to visitors. The huge building made it possible to accommodate a large number of exhibits that were moved from other museums. Natural lighting for paintings and statues is provided by a chic glass dome. The architect of the museum project is Gae Aulenti.
Today the Musee d'Orsay is visited by more than 3.5 million people. If you are going to be among these visitors, be sure to book one of them - after all, this is where many of the most interesting sights of the French capital are concentrated.
Musée d'Orsay collections: things to see
Musee d "Orsay was replenished from a variety of sources. Art objects were brought here from the Louvre, the Luxembourg Palace, the Petit Palace, and the Jeu-de-Paume Gallery. Some exhibits were donated to the museum by private collectors.
The gallery has three levels with a total area of 57,400 sq.m. All works are divided into themes and techniques.
On the lower floor there are canvases painted between 1848 and 1870. Here you can see the work "Breakfast on the Grass" by E. Manet, "Atelier" by Corot, "Tiger Hunt" by Eugene Delacroix, "Angel of the Lord" by Millet, "Ironers" by Degas.
Paintings from left to right: Manet "Breakfast on the Grass", E. Delacroix "Tiger Hunt", Degas "Ironers"
At the middle level, sculptures are presented - works from the time of the III Empire. The 19th century was a very fruitful period for sculpture. The purpose of the order for their creation was the proclamation of one's status, the decoration of the house, as well as the opportunity to inscribe one's ideals in bronze and stone. There was a huge demand for the creation of sculptures in those days. This is tracked just in the central nave of the Musée d'Orsay, where 1200 exhibits are presented. Among them: "Bronze Age" by Auguste Rodin, "Little 14-year-old dancer" by Edgar Degas, "Kara" by Aimé-Jules Dalou, "Mediterranean Sea" by Aristide Maillol.
The top floor is the realm of impressionism, expressionism and post-impressionism. Here you can admire the works of Rousseau ("The Snake Charmer"), Seurat ("The Circus"), Van Gogh ("Starry Night over the Rhone", "Portrait of Dr. Christ”, “Tahitian Women”), Renoir (“Ball at the Moulin de la Galette”), C. Monet (“Tulips of Holland”), Pissarro (“The Old Road from Annery to Pontoise. Frosts”) and others.
Vincent van Gogh "Self-portrait", photo: Tatiana Gaiduk
IMPORTANT! If you want to see the exhibition in chronological order, then be prepared to spend a whole day here, or even two days. If you are interested in specific paintings, then at the entrance you can buy a map with the numbering of galleries and a detailed description.
Infrastructure - where to eat and buy souvenirs
After seeing the masterpieces of the Musee d'Orsay, visitors can head to the Campana Cafe, which is located on the top tier. From here you have a stunning view of Montmartre.
You can not ignore the Restaurant du Musee d "Orsay, founded back in 1900. The interior is decorated with frescoes and gilding, emphasizing the historical value of the establishment. Traditional French dishes are served here. According to tourists, the prices here are somewhat overpriced.
Another cozy place where you can spend time discussing what you see is the L’Ours cafe.
There is also a souvenir shop on the territory of the museum, where you can buy stationery, postcards, figurines, books, reproductions of paintings, etc. as a keepsake. By the way, souvenirs can be purchased at the museum's online store.
Helpful information
Official site: www.musee-orsay.fr.
Address: 62, rue de Lille, Paris.
How to get there
Metro: to Solferino station or to Assemblee Nationale.
By buses: 63, 68, 24, 69, 83, 73, 84, 94.
By city train RER (line C): Musee d'Orsay station.
Schedule
| Dates | Monday | Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday | Thursday |
|---|---|---|---|
| from June 20 to September 20 | day off | 09:00 - 18:00 | 10:00 - 21:45 |
| from September 21 to June 19 | day off | 10:00 - 18:00 | 10:00 - 21:45 |
| December 25, January 1, May 1 | day off | day off | day off |
Ticket prices for the Musee d'Orsay
Regular ticket: € 12.
Special price:€ 9 (applies to people aged 18-25 non-EU citizens - daily; also at this cost, everyone can buy a ticket on Thursday after 18:00 and on any other working day after 16:30).
Free admission is provided:
- to everyone every first Sunday of the month;
- children under 18;
- citizens and residents of the EU aged 18 to 25;
- people with disabilities;
- unemployed with the provision of the relevant document;
- holders of the Paris Museum Card.
You can buy tickets directly at the museum box office or online on the official website.
Musée d'Orsay on the map of Paris
Fans of painting, and especially lovers of impressionism, should definitely visit the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. The largest exposition is located in a three-story building that was once a railway station. The collection contains paintings and sculptures by European masters of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries, filling the gap in the history of painting between the Louvre and
