 | Paris Musée d'Orsay Reviews | 11 - 20 of 300 |  |
The museum building of d'Orsay was originally a railway station, constructed for the Orleans Railway Company and finished in time for the Exposition Universelle (World Fair) of 1900 to the design of three architects: Lucien Magne, Emile Bénard and Victor Laloux.
It was the terminus for the railways of southwestern France until 1939.
By 1939 the station's short platforms had become unsuitable for the longer trains that had come to be used for mainline services. After 1939 it was used for suburban services and part of it became a mailing center during World War II. The station's hotel closed in January 1973.
In 1977 the French Government decided to convert the station to a museum and it was opened by President François Mitterrand on 1 December 1986.
Its large iron structure, made out of steel and hidden by its stone-built fascade, contains more metal than the Eiffel Tower.
The museum's collections cover the years 1848 (2nd Republic) to WWI.
You will find a permanent collection of sculpture, painting, and decorative arts on three levels. They also display works at different times which cannot be exhibited on a permanent basis (photography, graphic arts) owing to their fragility.
Opening Hours:
Mondays: Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday:
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
From June to September the museum opens at 9 a.m.
Ticket sales stop at 5:30 p.m.
ALSO:
* Be sure to visit the bookshop, cardshop, and giftshop.
* There is also a restaurant (middle level) which serves lunch; teas (except Thursday); and dinner (Thursday only).
* Cafe des Hauteurs (upper level) open to 5 p.m.
* Fast food on the mezzanine
*Guided Tours are scheduled Tuesday through Saturday in various languages. Leave a Comment Address: 62 rue de Lille, 75343 Paris cedex 07Phone: Recep. desk: 01.40.49.48.48Directions: Entrance (museum & exhibitions) : 1 rue de Bellechasse 1 rue de la Legion d'Honneur 75007 ParisWebsite: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ Other Contact: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/ORSAY/
|
 | |  |
Visiting Paris?
Read reviews about Paris Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
It's been six visits to Paris and only on my last visit did I succeed in seeing the Musee d' Orsay! Finally... And it was all worthwhile--personally, I loved the Orsay more than the Louvre. It's a tiny museum in comparison with the Louvre. But it's got quite alot to see.
First of all it's located in the former Gare d' Orsay train station, a unique setting that's filled with space and light. And most everybody has seen the Orsay's symbol, a huge clock .
There are many works of art including paintings and sculptures throughout several floors. Many types of art are represented: realism, impressionist, post-impressionist. Many statues are featured as well.
Perhaps the most talked about and most visited gallery is the Impressionist gallery. Some of the artists featured are: Renoir, Monet, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Gauguin, Cezanne, van Gogh, and even Whistler. Here you can view the authentic paintings that you must have seen in countless books, magazines, and prints. It's truly amazing to stand in front of one of Manet's or Monet's paintings. At first glance, you think, 'So this is the painting I've always seen in books.' Then it occurs to you that this is the real deal. My favorite painting at the Orsay is 'Le Dejeuner sur l' Herbe' by Edouard Manet. In a book it appears to be so small, however, in reality it's a huge painting.
There is a restaurant on the museum's second floor and a cafe on its fourth floor in case you are there during lunchtime or if you need a snack. I didn't eat at either place, but I understand the restaurant is fantastic: great food in a great setting.
If you are visiting Paris during the first Sunday of the new month, the Orsay will be free. But do plan on getting to the museum by opening at 9 a.m. or at latest by 10 a.m. Fortunately I not only got in free on my visit but I arrived by 10 a.m. when the line was super short. By the time I exited the museum two hours later, the line was out to the sidewalks. Leave a Comment Directions: Walk along the Seine until you reach the museum at Quai d' Orsay. You won't miss the museum as you'll see long lines and there is also a huge sign in front.Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/
|
| | |
The museum of Orsay presents 200 sculptures of the 19th century in the central aisle, the terraces Lille, Seine and Rodin as well as in room 59.
If you have no time to visit the Rodin museum you will find numerous works of him at the Musée d'Orsay as well as the sculptors Maillol, Bourdelle, Bernard and many others in all styles.
My favourite work is Albert Bartholomé's magnificent bronze statue "crying little girl" (1894).
In room 31, on the upper floor, a wide show case is completely dedicated to Edgar Degas sculptures, mainly ballerina's among which the famous "Petite danseuse de 14 ans" a bronze statue in diverse colourings, with a tutu in tulle and pink ribbon in her hair. The original wax statue was strongly criticized for her hyperrealism at an exhibition in 1881.The bronze statue was made after the death of Edgar Degas.
========================================
Le musée d'Orsay présente près de 200 sculptures du 19e siècle dans l'allée centrale, les terrasses Lille, Seine et Rodin ainsi que dans la salle 59. Si vous n'avez pas le temps de visiter le musée Rodin vous trouverez de nombreuses œuvres à Orsay ainsi que les sculpteurs Maillol, Bourdelle, Bernard et bien d'autres dans tous les styles.
Mon œuvre préférée est une merveilleuse statue en bronze d'Albert Bartholomé "Petite fille pleurant" (1894).
Au niveau supérieur, salle 31, une large vitrine est entièrement consacrée à des œuvres d'Edgar Degas principalement des danseuses dont la fameuse "Petite danseuse de 14 ans" une statue en bronze avec patine aux diverses colorations, avec tutu en tulle et ruban rose dans les cheveux.
A l'époque (1881) cette statue réaliste à l'origine en cire fut fortement critiquée; on lui trouva un visage "marque d'un caractère particulièrement vicieux"!
L'édition en bronze fut faite après la mort de Degas; la statuette du musée d'Orsay est un exemplaire. Address: Central aisle, Terraces, Rooms 59 and 31Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay stationWebsite: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/
|
| | |
At the back end of the ground floor of the Musée d'Orsay there is an interesting exhibit on the building of the "new" (meaning new in the 19th century) opera house which was ordered by the Emperor Napoleon III and designed by the young architect Charles Garnier (1825-1898).
This model shows a cross-section of the opera building, with its entrance hall, grand staircase, auditorium with crown and the stage and backstage areas. Today this opera house is known as the Opéra Garnier or Palais Garnier, after its architect. It is one of five opera houses currently operating in Paris, the others being the Opéra Bastille, the Théâtre du Châtelet, the Opéra Comique (Salle Favart), and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
Second photo: L'escalier de l'Opéra, a painting of the Grand Staircase of the then-new opera house, painted around 1980 by Victor Navlet (1819-1886). The French State bought this painting directly from the artist in 1881 and displayed it for six years in the French Embassy in Berlin.
Third photo: This is the definitive sketch for the ceiling of the opera house, by the painter Jules-Eugène Lenepveu (1819-1898), who proceeded to paint exactly this on the round ceiling of the auditorium. Lenepveu's ceiling paintings are still there, but they are no longer visible because they have been covered since 1964 by the new ceiling paintings of Marc Chagall (1887-1985).
Fourth photo: Portrait of the architect Charles Garnier, painted in 1868 by Paul Baudry (1828-1886).
Fifth photo: Under a glass floor there is a model of the opera house and the entire district around it, as it was in the early years of the 20th century. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Built as a railway station in 1900, but unused and largely derelict from 1939, the Musée d’Orsay was finally retrieved from potential demolition in 1973 when it was declared a national monument and re-established as a museum for art of the period from 1848 to 1914. I would have to rate it as my personal favourite Paris visit, even above the newly re-opened Orangerie which is somewhat smaller. Not only are the paintings, sculptures and other artworks stunning, but the grand old building really complements them.
As I noted in my tip on the Paris Museum passes, there was a substantial queue outside when I arrived. The pass allowed me to gain almost immediate entry and, in no time, I was surrounded by some of the world’s most mouth-watering artworks. It was interesting to also see that ‘painters-in-training’ are allowed to practice their art, copying from originals. Don’t miss this place. Address: 1 rue de la Légion d’honneur 75007 ParisPhone: 01 40 49 48 14Directions: Hours daily except Mondays, 1000 -1800. Sundays and period 20 June to 20 September 0900 – 1800, Thursdays remaining open to 2145. Métro: line 12, Solférino station; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay stationWebsite: http://www.musee-orsay.fr
|
| | |
Visiting Paris?
Read reviews about Paris Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Musee d'Orsay
The best/easiest entrance into the d'Orsay is to use the side entrance on the Quai Voltaire that goes into the bookstore. They take the museum card, no problem!
The Louvre holds classical & ancient art, anything prior to Impressionism, while the d'Orsay, which holds art from 1848-1914, holds the Impressionist, post-Impressionist & Expressionist works. So one could visit one set of eras then cross the Pont Royal to see another era. To finish up your art education, you could then visit the Centre Pompidou which contains Modern Art works.
I only completed the top floor, it is so huge & overwhelming with its wonderful collection of Impressionist works. I loved the pastels collection (mostly Degas' pastels) the most although some are very hard to see in the dimly-lit room. The Monets were fabulous but I think I was more impressed by the Renoirs. Sad to say, I was a little underwhelmed by the Van Goghs but I think I prefer his works with the cobalt-blue skies which are not in this museum.
When the painter Caillebotte died, he bequeathed his collection of Impressionist art that he owned from his many friends including Monet & Renoir (the executor of his estate) to the state which was obliged to add these to their collections. You see how influential Caillebotte was in getting the Impressionist movement kickstarted; he also helped when he came to Chicago & marketed this style to wealthy Americans, some of whom eventually left their collections to the city to form the Art Institute of Chicago. Had it not been for his marketing skills we might not HAVE a Musee d'Orsay to go to.
Initially, the collections resided in the Musee du Luxembourg located in the Jardin du Luxembourg but it is now defunct. After the Gare d'Orsay was closed down & then reopened as the Mus?e d'Orsay they were moved here & to the Jeu de Paume & Orangerie.
From the terrace you can catch a lovely view of Sacre Coeur. And it's cool to pass behind the huge clock to view Paris! There's also a snack bar along with a great restaurant. Leave a Comment Address: 62 rue de Lille & 1 rue de Bellechasse 75007Phone: 01 40 49 48 14Directions: Métro: line 12, Solférino; RER: line C, Musée d'Orsay Photo: Feb 06 Photo Credit: Graciously & generously loaned by Sally Fowler (VT's shrimp56) http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/21927/18308/Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/
|
| | |
Lors d'une visite récente j'eus quelques difficultés à retrouver certaines de mes oeuvres préférées. Ainsi l'un des deux Renoir "Danse à la Campagne" n'était plus dans le musée. D'autres œuvres avaient été déplacées à l'intérieur même du musée. Mes références aux salles où sont exposées certaines œuvres décrites dans mes tips de 2007 peuvent donc être erronées.
Mais le pire m'attendait au rez-de-chaussée dans les salles consacrées aux écoles réalistes ou naturalistes: le fameux nu "L'origine du monde" par Courbet a disparu!
J'ai d'abord pensé a une menace d'attentat par quelque groupuscule intégriste (ces choses arrivent en Europe) ayant obligé le Musée à retirer ce nu audacieux (voir ma revue des nus à Orsay). Renseignement pris auprès des "Amis du Musée" cette œuvre ainsi que mon Renoir bien aimé sont en voyage, d'abord à New York et maintenant Taipei.
Le prêt de ces œuvres à l'extérieur rapporte beaucoup d'argent au Musée mais leur absence mécontente les visiteurs venus de loin pour les admirer.
Parmi les "Réalistes" de cette salle 15 j'ai aimé des œuvres d'Alfred Stevens et de Carolus-Duran.
=====================================
At the time of a new visit in July 2008 I had difficulties in finding some of my preferred works. One of the Renoir's “Dances" was no more in the museum. Other works had been moved inside the museum. My references to the rooms where certain works were exposed in 2007 can thus be erroneous.
But the worst awaited me at the ground floor in the rooms devoted to the realistic or naturalists schools. The famous nude “The Origin of the World” by Courbet has disappeared!
First I thought that some bigots or integrists had obliged the Museum to withdraw this audacious nude (see my review of "Scandalous nudes in Orsay").
Information taken at the “Friends of the Museum” showed that this nude of Courbet as well as my loved Renoir's "Dance in the Country" are travelling, initially to New York and now Taipei.
The outside loan of these works yield much money for the Museum but the visitors coming from far away to admire them are dissatisfied by their absence.
Among the “Realistic paintings” of this room 15 I liked works of Alfred Stevens and Carolus-Duran.
|
| | |
Room number 1 in the Musée d'Orsay, the first room on the right on the ground floor, is called Ingres et l'Ingrisme. As soon as you enter you are confronted with one of his most famous paintings, La Source (The Spring).
I learned from the museum's website that Ingres started this picture in 1820, but then put it aside and didn't finish it until 1856. Even then he got two of his students to fill in the background, which seems to have been common practice in those days.
This painting was shown at several exhibitions in the 1850s and 60s, and was widely discussed as a synthesis of the real and the ideal. Is the nude figure a statue or a real person, or both?
In 1857 the painting was bought by Count Charles-Marie Tanneguy Duchâtel for 25000 francs. In his home the painting was "surrounded by large plants and aquatic flowers so that the nymph of the spring looked even more like a real person."
If Ingres were alive today I think he would paint pictures of girls taking photos with their digital cameras. (Or riding bicycles or talking on their cell phones.)
Second photo: On the top floor of the Musée d'Orsay is the impressionist collection, with astounding numbers of famous and familiar paintings. In room 32 alone there are 42 paintings by Renoir, Monet, Pissarro and Sisley. The one in the photo is Le bassin d'Argenteuil by Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Third photo: Another famous painting in the same room, also by Monet: one of the eleven pictures that he painted of La gare Saint-Lazare, one of the six big terminus railroad stations in Paris.
Fourth photo: The Musée d'Orsay also used to be a railroad station, as you can see from this photo that I took from the top of the Tour Seine, the Seine Tower at the back end of the museum. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Built as a railway station in 1900 (Gare d’Orsay), the place was transformed into a museum and inaugurated by the President Mitterrand in 1986.
I liked very much the impressive Louvre, but I have to admit that Orsay is my favorite museum in Paris.
The visit was like a pleasant walk through French paintings, sculptures, architecture and decorative art from 1848 to 1914, brilliantly alternated.
The fact that the collections are displayed in chronological order and by theme certainly helps a lot.
The entrance is free with Paris Museum Pass.
A free plan of the museum is available at the entrance.
Opening hours: 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
|
From the French press :
"Dans la nuit du 6 au 7 Octobre 2007, à l'occasion de la Nuit Blanche organisée par la ville de Paris, un groupe d'individus composés de 4 hommes et d'une femme passablement éméchés a réussi à forcer une porte du musée d'Orsay et à s'y introduire. Après avoir fumé et uriné dans l'enceinte du musée, un des malfrats a donné un coup de poing dans Le Pont d'Argenteuil de Claude Monet (1874). Une entaille de 10 centimètres environ au centre de l'oeuvre rend nécessaire une restauration éminente.
Le groupe a été mis en garde vue le mardi suivant l'incident (9 octobre), un des jeunes s'était présenté spontanément la veille à la police"
====================================
During the night of 6 to 7 October 2007, on the occasion of the "Nuit Blanche" feast organised by the city of Paris, a group of 4 men and 1 woman, rather drunk, could force a door and enter the Musée d'Orsay.
After smoking and urinating inside the museum one of the criminals hit with his fist the painting "Le Pont d'Argenteuil" from Claude Monet (1874).
A gash of about 10 cm in the centre of the canvas necessitates an urgent restoration.
The group has been arrested after two days; one of them presented himself to the police.
How is it possible that such a famous museum is so badly secured at night!
|
| | |
More Paris Tips Overview
| General Tips
Tips: 2,394 - Photos: 2,329 | Restaurants
Tips: 2,512 - Photos: 2,325 | Hotels and Accommodations
Tips: 1,949 - Photos: 1,530 | Things To Do
Tips: 9,840 - Photos: 16,293 | Nightlife
Tips: 863 - Photos: 774 | Off the Beaten Path
Tips: 1,680 - Photos: 2,347 | Tourist Traps
Tips: 493 - Photos: 317 | Warnings or Dangers
Tips: 767 - Photos: 384 | Transportation
Tips: 1,560 - Photos: 1,301 | Local Customs
Tips: 800 - Photos: 668 | Packing Lists
Tips: 270 - Photos: 157 | Shopping
Tips: 794 - Photos: 908 | Sports Travel
Tips: 104 - Photos: 122 | Flights
Tips: 99 - Photos: 0 |
 |
Best Paris Travel Deals Hotels in Paris
The top 100 preferred hotels in Paris in Video. Great rates! Cruises Through France
Sites on Rhine, Danube & Others! Sign up for Special E-mail Offers. Hotel in Paris
Paris hotel reservations Official site. Low rates guaranteed Sponsored Links |
|
on August 24, 2006
on February 16, 2005
on August 31, 2007
on August 24, 2008
on June 4, 2006
on April 6, 2006
on February 20, 2006
