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March 8, 2024 5:33 AM Subscribe
In your opinion, what are the things most worth seeing at the musee d'orsay and the Louvre? What made an impression on you? What took your breath away?
When I say 'worth seeing' I don't mean 'see it so I can say I saw it, did you know the Mona Lisa is there???'
I'm looking for 'this took my breath away'.
I am a woman who needs A Plan.
Can you help me make one?
Thinly disguised neurosis within.
By some small miracle and assuming no disasters, which I have never for a moment in my life assumed, our family will be in Paris in roughly a month. It is our first major trip and we will be in Paris for about four days. I have done all the planning and I'm nervous.
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm seeking a check-box based life experience. I find art emotionally moving, but I HATE wandering around feeling pressure to see...something...the right thing, but not knowing what. And I'm trying to preserve the white space around activities so we can wander neighborhoods and streets and check out cafes and just...be there.
It gets overwhelming. I don't know the museums, the galleries, the floor plans. Their websites aren't really organized in a way that helps (sheer overwhelming information). Our family attention span in museums is not unlimited. Typically we can do two to three hours without one or all of us succumbing to overstimulation, boredom, low blood sugar, or accumulated irritation at being around crowds.
I don't know whether specific galleries require specific tickets/entrance fees. I do know to book the Louvre (d'Orsay also?) in advance, but maybe some galleries have additional entrance fees?
The only thing I know I'd like to see is the Raft of the Medusa by Gericault at the Louvre. I want to see the Van Goghs at the d'Orsay.
So: what did you adore at these two museums, and do you have any advice for how to approach this in the most enjoyable, relaxed, positive way?
Anything you think I should know?
By some small miracle and assuming no disasters, which I have never for a moment in my life assumed, our family will be in Paris in roughly a month. It is our first major trip and we will be in Paris for about four days. I have done all the planning and I'm nervous.
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm seeking a check-box based life experience. I find art emotionally moving, but I HATE wandering around feeling pressure to see...something...the right thing, but not knowing what. And I'm trying to preserve the white space around activities so we can wander neighborhoods and streets and check out cafes and just...be there.
It gets overwhelming. I don't know the museums, the galleries, the floor plans. Their websites aren't really organized in a way that helps (sheer overwhelming information). Our family attention span in museums is not unlimited. Typically we can do two to three hours without one or all of us succumbing to overstimulation, boredom, low blood sugar, or accumulated irritation at being around crowds.
I don't know whether specific galleries require specific tickets/entrance fees. I do know to book the Louvre (d'Orsay also?) in advance, but maybe some galleries have additional entrance fees?
The only thing I know I'd like to see is the Raft of the Medusa by Gericault at the Louvre. I want to see the Van Goghs at the d'Orsay.
So: what did you adore at these two museums, and do you have any advice for how to approach this in the most enjoyable, relaxed, positive way?
Anything you think I should know?
Best answer: For me, it was the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre. I was surprised by my own awestruck response to being in the presence of this statue.
At the Musee D'Orsay, I loved the Ours Blanc (white bear) by Francois Pompon.
Have fun!
posted by esker at 6:14 AM on March 8 [9 favorites]
At the Musee D'Orsay, I loved the Ours Blanc (white bear) by Francois Pompon.
Have fun!
posted by esker at 6:14 AM on March 8 [9 favorites]
Best answer: Let me be negative for a moment: I hated the Louvre. Worst experience I've ever had in a museum. It was a light crowd day and we got there very early and it was still such a shitshow that it was impossible to really commune with anything that anyone else wanted to see. So, as far as tips for the Louvre? Find joy in unpopular things. Get really close to some ancient sculptures (you can get really, really close) and appreciate the artistry that went into carving translucent lace out of marble. This is the stuff that really awed me there. Also be sure to see the medieval foundation; it's super cool.
As far as the Orsay? What a difference, and what a pleasure. I don't recall being absolutely floored by anything, but again, you can get right up in Van Gogh's face and look at the brushstrokes, the thickness of the paint, the beauty in the detail, and then step back 10 feet and see an entirely different painting on the same canvas. There's a rather large Signac, The Demolisher, tucked into a corner that I could have stood in front of for an hour. It's also a really beautiful building, so it's worth just getting up to the top and looking out at the sculpture gallery from above.
Honestly, my advice? Hit the museums in the early morning, spend your three hours (we were traveling with a child and 3 hours was our hard limit, too) and then go have a very, very leisurely lunch. I barely remember being at the Louvre, but I remember every detail of the lunch and the walk around the city that we took afterwards.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:21 AM on March 8 [8 favorites]
As far as the Orsay? What a difference, and what a pleasure. I don't recall being absolutely floored by anything, but again, you can get right up in Van Gogh's face and look at the brushstrokes, the thickness of the paint, the beauty in the detail, and then step back 10 feet and see an entirely different painting on the same canvas. There's a rather large Signac, The Demolisher, tucked into a corner that I could have stood in front of for an hour. It's also a really beautiful building, so it's worth just getting up to the top and looking out at the sculpture gallery from above.
Honestly, my advice? Hit the museums in the early morning, spend your three hours (we were traveling with a child and 3 hours was our hard limit, too) and then go have a very, very leisurely lunch. I barely remember being at the Louvre, but I remember every detail of the lunch and the walk around the city that we took afterwards.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:21 AM on March 8 [8 favorites]
For the Musee d'Orsay, it's not a huge museum - it's easy to leisurely take in the whole thing in half a day (I'm sure many people could cover it quicker).
For the Louvre, my advice is to not get too attached to specifics - you won't be able to see everything, and some of the fun (at least for me) was just wondering the massive space. That said, the Napoleon rooms are just absolutely bonkers and worth battling the crowds to see (if you arrive early, do these first).
A broad tip for Paris: Paris is really charming, but it's easier to be charmed if you have a flexible enough schedule for unanticipated moments to happen. One museum + exploring one-two neighborhoods a day. Don't try and cram in museums, explore and sample some outdoor food markets, etc.
Also - it's fine to skip the Louvre. I only went to the Louvre my second trip because a free ticket fell into my lap. It was enjoyable, but not more enjoyable than a number of other museums. So if the idea (and expense) of the Louvre is stressing you out, it's really ok to skip it - there is way more to Paris.
A specific tip for Paris - go to Deyrolle, a magical taxidermy shop.
posted by coffeecat at 6:49 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]
For the Louvre, my advice is to not get too attached to specifics - you won't be able to see everything, and some of the fun (at least for me) was just wondering the massive space. That said, the Napoleon rooms are just absolutely bonkers and worth battling the crowds to see (if you arrive early, do these first).
A broad tip for Paris: Paris is really charming, but it's easier to be charmed if you have a flexible enough schedule for unanticipated moments to happen. One museum + exploring one-two neighborhoods a day. Don't try and cram in museums, explore and sample some outdoor food markets, etc.
Also - it's fine to skip the Louvre. I only went to the Louvre my second trip because a free ticket fell into my lap. It was enjoyable, but not more enjoyable than a number of other museums. So if the idea (and expense) of the Louvre is stressing you out, it's really ok to skip it - there is way more to Paris.
A specific tip for Paris - go to Deyrolle, a magical taxidermy shop.
posted by coffeecat at 6:49 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]
I've been to Paris 3 times, and the Orsay each time. The first 2 times I really just wanted to see impressionist oil paintings, and I was very satisfied. I cannot recommend these enough. But this last time I had an experience I've never had anywhere else. My partner wanted to see some of the sculptures and we weren't totally clear on where they were, and we wound up spending time in every single space. Every time we decided to leave, the next room took our breath away. We spent 5-1/2 hours there and our energy levels kept climbing in response to the things we saw. So it was just amazing.
The most fantastic surprises I recall are the scale models of the old opera house, and in a nearby room, there was a large model of part of the city, under plexiglass beneath our feet. Since we could identify some of the streets and recognizable buildings, that was a fun surprise.
I also went to the Louvre one time, for probably 3 hours. I really didn't enjoy it, but I understand that I didn't see the vast majority of what was on offer.
Also, the Pompidou was a real surprise and I loved it so much I went back the next day. I didn't even know I would like modern art.
All this to say, the things that blew me away were very different from the things I originally set out to see. And, I love the Orsay.
Have a great time!
posted by happy_cat at 6:49 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
The most fantastic surprises I recall are the scale models of the old opera house, and in a nearby room, there was a large model of part of the city, under plexiglass beneath our feet. Since we could identify some of the streets and recognizable buildings, that was a fun surprise.
I also went to the Louvre one time, for probably 3 hours. I really didn't enjoy it, but I understand that I didn't see the vast majority of what was on offer.
Also, the Pompidou was a real surprise and I loved it so much I went back the next day. I didn't even know I would like modern art.
All this to say, the things that blew me away were very different from the things I originally set out to see. And, I love the Orsay.
Have a great time!
posted by happy_cat at 6:49 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
Agreed about seriously disliking the Louvre. Also it is so vast and meandering and the collections so extensive I don’t think there is any way to feel like you’ve “done” it, so try your best to set that goal aside. Honestly I know it has some amazing people working for it but the Louvre felt like it lacked curation, at least when I visited it. Ironic. Hopefully that’s improved.
Checking their website, it appears that they have a few different self guided routes called visitor trails. I suggest using the “masterpieces” trail as a starting point because the Raft of the Medusa is on it. Skip anything you don’t care about.
My favorite area by far was the department of Islamic art, in particular the lower level. Tonally it’s a big shift from most of the rest of the galleries so it’s refreshing on those merits alone, but also the pieces are gorgeous. I’m a sucker for an ornate geometric pattern though, and you might find ceramics and metalwork uninspiring.
posted by Mizu at 7:00 AM on March 8
Checking their website, it appears that they have a few different self guided routes called visitor trails. I suggest using the “masterpieces” trail as a starting point because the Raft of the Medusa is on it. Skip anything you don’t care about.
My favorite area by far was the department of Islamic art, in particular the lower level. Tonally it’s a big shift from most of the rest of the galleries so it’s refreshing on those merits alone, but also the pieces are gorgeous. I’m a sucker for an ornate geometric pattern though, and you might find ceramics and metalwork uninspiring.
posted by Mizu at 7:00 AM on March 8
Best answer: I haven't been to the Louvre specifically, but I like art museums -- the one thing that always lifts my heart about going to art museums in person is sculpture. You cannot truly experience sculpture through photos or books, no matter how high resolution they are. And by sculpture I mean anything with a 3d component, look for things that exist in space, and not a flat plane. You can extend this to paintings, though: how the paint lays on a canvas is not easily translated to an image.
You are in a place -- Paris -- in a space -- the Louvre -- so find things that occupy that space, feel how it exists in the real world, in ways that you cannot get from looking at the art on the Louvre's webpage or art booklet.
If you're worried about seeing the right thing: go in with the plan to discover the right thing. Then you're not wandering, you're on a quest. If art moves you, trying to find the answer to the question "If you were at the Louvre, did you see [x]", the better response would be "no, but I found [y] and it was amazing" because that is more meaningful to you. The thing that moved you the most in the time you had to see it is the right thing.
posted by AzraelBrown at 7:05 AM on March 8 [8 favorites]
You are in a place -- Paris -- in a space -- the Louvre -- so find things that occupy that space, feel how it exists in the real world, in ways that you cannot get from looking at the art on the Louvre's webpage or art booklet.
If you're worried about seeing the right thing: go in with the plan to discover the right thing. Then you're not wandering, you're on a quest. If art moves you, trying to find the answer to the question "If you were at the Louvre, did you see [x]", the better response would be "no, but I found [y] and it was amazing" because that is more meaningful to you. The thing that moved you the most in the time you had to see it is the right thing.
posted by AzraelBrown at 7:05 AM on March 8 [8 favorites]
There are definitely spaces in the Louvre that aren't as crowded - you can spend all the time you want with the lovely Cycladic sculptures, and not get elbowed - but corridors and transition points will also be nuts, as well as any art that has gotten designated as "must-see" for people. (This is usually the Venus de Milo, the Nike, and the Mona Lisa, and some people do just dip in for those and then head out.)
I'm an art history person (like, professionally) and I don't know that I've go back to the Louvre again, after two visits (one about 15 years ago, the other a few months ago.) I got to see some favorites, and didn't realize that at the time, the Capodemonte in Naples had lent their paintings so I got to see Artemesia Gentileschi's Judith and Holofernes, which I hadn't been expecting. But I definitely was irked at the crowds and it made things unpleasant.
If you'd like a suggestion for smaller museums, I recommend the National Museum of the Middle Ages, which is charming and full of beauty and small enough to get through without wearing yourself out, and the Musee Carnavalet, which is free, in a very nice neighborhood, and full of fun shop signs showing the history of Paris streets and very kid-friendly.
posted by PussKillian at 7:07 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
I'm an art history person (like, professionally) and I don't know that I've go back to the Louvre again, after two visits (one about 15 years ago, the other a few months ago.) I got to see some favorites, and didn't realize that at the time, the Capodemonte in Naples had lent their paintings so I got to see Artemesia Gentileschi's Judith and Holofernes, which I hadn't been expecting. But I definitely was irked at the crowds and it made things unpleasant.
If you'd like a suggestion for smaller museums, I recommend the National Museum of the Middle Ages, which is charming and full of beauty and small enough to get through without wearing yourself out, and the Musee Carnavalet, which is free, in a very nice neighborhood, and full of fun shop signs showing the history of Paris streets and very kid-friendly.
posted by PussKillian at 7:07 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
I might drop by the Louvre to see the Venus de Milo but that's about it. Probably not worth it.
The Musée d'Orsay is much better. The Impressionists are spectacular in person.
Musée Rodin is an absolute must. I once cancelled a flight from Vienna to London in favor of taking the train through Paris so I could a) get a gyro and fries in the Greek district and b) revisit the Musée Rodin.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:26 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
The Musée d'Orsay is much better. The Impressionists are spectacular in person.
Musée Rodin is an absolute must. I once cancelled a flight from Vienna to London in favor of taking the train through Paris so I could a) get a gyro and fries in the Greek district and b) revisit the Musée Rodin.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:26 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Years ago I visited the Musée D'Orsay with one of my best friends, who was teaching in Orleans at the time. We agreed to split up in the museum so we could explore at our leisure and each follow our own curiosity. Near the end of the few hours we were there, I was wandering through the Impressionism gallery and stopped short in front of Monet's Le Pavé de Chailly. I've seen many, many Monets in my life, and while I enjoy his work he's not among my favorite artists (and Impressionism isn't even one of my favorite movements!) But something about this piece arrested me. I felt... transported. Like I could smell the air and feel the cool autumn dawn - or twilight? - sun on my skin. I've never felt that way in front of a painting before or since, though I work in the arts professionally and have had many emotional reactions to art.
When I met back up with my friend I told her about my experience. She was stunned - the last time she'd been at the museum, a few months before when her parents visited, she'd had the same reaction to the same Monet. She told me that she purposely sought it out again this trip and spent a long time with it. We must have just missed each other.
Looks like it is still exhibited, in Salle 29. Worth a pilgrimage, in my opinion.
posted by rabbitbookworm at 7:29 AM on March 8 [5 favorites]
When I met back up with my friend I told her about my experience. She was stunned - the last time she'd been at the museum, a few months before when her parents visited, she'd had the same reaction to the same Monet. She told me that she purposely sought it out again this trip and spent a long time with it. We must have just missed each other.
Looks like it is still exhibited, in Salle 29. Worth a pilgrimage, in my opinion.
posted by rabbitbookworm at 7:29 AM on March 8 [5 favorites]
Best answer: I will be the contrarian here and say if you are in Paris you should visit the Louvre. I have been a handful of times and it has always been satisfying. Seconding esker's Winged Victory of Samothrace, and I'll add David's Coronation of Napoleon. It's massive at like 30 feet by 20 feet and I think it is right around the corner from the Mona Lisa, in the red rooms.
If the geography and weather are compatible, a nice walk from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées, and then through the Tuileries Garden (with a stop for a crepe or coffee from a street vendor), is a terrific way to get there.
posted by AgentRocket at 7:32 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
If the geography and weather are compatible, a nice walk from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Élysées, and then through the Tuileries Garden (with a stop for a crepe or coffee from a street vendor), is a terrific way to get there.
posted by AgentRocket at 7:32 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
Best answer: most worth seeing at the musee d'orsay and the Louvre? What made an impression on you?
It is definitely the impressionism paintings at the Musee d'Orsay. If you are like me and you are a bit of painting philistine and you equate fine art painting with Impressionism, you won't be disappointed with the galleries holding those works. Agree that you can take in those galleries and related things in not a lot of time. It is also a very interesting repurposing of a train station as a museum so take in that as a bit of architecture.
The Louvre is definitely overwhelming and I am sure even more so since I was there. I really enjoyed the architecture there to. I.M. Pei's pyramids are iconic for a reason and the juxtaposition of them with the original palace architecture is interesting. I thought the Medieval Louvre fortress was something that wasn't well known but stuck with me. It has been almost 25 years since mrs. mmascolino and I saw the Louvre's Persian collection and bas-relief sculptures and we still routinely reference them.
posted by mmascolino at 7:48 AM on March 8
It is definitely the impressionism paintings at the Musee d'Orsay. If you are like me and you are a bit of painting philistine and you equate fine art painting with Impressionism, you won't be disappointed with the galleries holding those works. Agree that you can take in those galleries and related things in not a lot of time. It is also a very interesting repurposing of a train station as a museum so take in that as a bit of architecture.
The Louvre is definitely overwhelming and I am sure even more so since I was there. I really enjoyed the architecture there to. I.M. Pei's pyramids are iconic for a reason and the juxtaposition of them with the original palace architecture is interesting. I thought the Medieval Louvre fortress was something that wasn't well known but stuck with me. It has been almost 25 years since mrs. mmascolino and I saw the Louvre's Persian collection and bas-relief sculptures and we still routinely reference them.
posted by mmascolino at 7:48 AM on March 8
From another person with an Action Bias, and neuroses that will ever hereafter be thinly disguised, I suggest you lean into serendipity and intuition.
Of all the things I have experienced as beautiful, meaningful, and sublime in my life, the vast majority were discovered by happenstance.
Just in this thread, I discovered two new-to-me and thoroughly delightful artists/artworks. Art and rabbit holes go hand in hand.
Have a wonderful trip!
posted by concinnity at 7:59 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Of all the things I have experienced as beautiful, meaningful, and sublime in my life, the vast majority were discovered by happenstance.
Just in this thread, I discovered two new-to-me and thoroughly delightful artists/artworks. Art and rabbit holes go hand in hand.
Have a wonderful trip!
posted by concinnity at 7:59 AM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Best answer: So, as far as tips for the Louvre? Find joy in unpopular things. Get really close to some ancient sculptures (you can get really, really close) and appreciate the artistry that went into carving translucent lace out of marble.
Seconding this. I couldn't stand the crowds around the Mona Lisa, so I went wandering in other random rooms at the Louvre and had a much better time.
Also - it's perfectly okay, and in fact it may work for you, to be drawn to a piece of art for "funny" or "un-serious" reasons, or even "rude" ones. One set of statues that caught my eye in the Louvre did so because they reminded me of the chanting monks from Monty Python And the Holy Grail; and I made a point of finding a specific painting in the Musee D'Orsay because it had been featured in a Doctor Who episode.
Sometimes it can also be fun to do people watching around certain statues; I do have a photo of the Venus de Milo, but then I noticed that a) I was one of a lot of people taking that photo, and b) you could walk around behind the statue. And so that's why I also have this photo that I think I like better. I also had a lot of fun hanging around this statue for a while - it's a statue of "Hermaphrodite", Hermes and Aphrodite's child. When you walk up to it, you see it from this angle and it's very female-presenting. But it's positioned in such a way that you can see that there's also some male genitalia on it, you just have to go around to the other side. I had a lot of fun hanging around to watch people wander over to it from the "butt" side, read the tag that explained who the statue was....and then furtively look around to see if anyone was watching before sneaking around to the other side to check out the statue's dick. :-)
The Musee D'Orsay also has some special exhibits that may be of interest. At the time I went, they had an exhibit that did a whole deep dive into how the Impressionists portrayed sex workers.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:06 AM on March 8
Seconding this. I couldn't stand the crowds around the Mona Lisa, so I went wandering in other random rooms at the Louvre and had a much better time.
Also - it's perfectly okay, and in fact it may work for you, to be drawn to a piece of art for "funny" or "un-serious" reasons, or even "rude" ones. One set of statues that caught my eye in the Louvre did so because they reminded me of the chanting monks from Monty Python And the Holy Grail; and I made a point of finding a specific painting in the Musee D'Orsay because it had been featured in a Doctor Who episode.
Sometimes it can also be fun to do people watching around certain statues; I do have a photo of the Venus de Milo, but then I noticed that a) I was one of a lot of people taking that photo, and b) you could walk around behind the statue. And so that's why I also have this photo that I think I like better. I also had a lot of fun hanging around this statue for a while - it's a statue of "Hermaphrodite", Hermes and Aphrodite's child. When you walk up to it, you see it from this angle and it's very female-presenting. But it's positioned in such a way that you can see that there's also some male genitalia on it, you just have to go around to the other side. I had a lot of fun hanging around to watch people wander over to it from the "butt" side, read the tag that explained who the statue was....and then furtively look around to see if anyone was watching before sneaking around to the other side to check out the statue's dick. :-)
The Musee D'Orsay also has some special exhibits that may be of interest. At the time I went, they had an exhibit that did a whole deep dive into how the Impressionists portrayed sex workers.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:06 AM on March 8
Best answer: I don't know much about art.
I was at the Louvre once for a brief visit over a decade ago. Back then (they may still) they had an app that was very helpful for figuring out what the "thing" to see in each area was.
I will second the Winged Victory of Samothrace. It is burned into my mind and I am still in awe of it.
I was very meh about seeing the Mona Lisa but I was dragged there by my Mother and sister. I enjoyed seeing it in person much more than I thought I would, for a few moments.
I saw Monet's Water Lilies when they were on loan in Rome, but I would recommend going to Musee de l'Orangerie to see them if you haven't. It was something I had seen many images of (who hasn't?) but the actual thing was so much more.
posted by miscbuff at 8:07 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
I was at the Louvre once for a brief visit over a decade ago. Back then (they may still) they had an app that was very helpful for figuring out what the "thing" to see in each area was.
I will second the Winged Victory of Samothrace. It is burned into my mind and I am still in awe of it.
I was very meh about seeing the Mona Lisa but I was dragged there by my Mother and sister. I enjoyed seeing it in person much more than I thought I would, for a few moments.
I saw Monet's Water Lilies when they were on loan in Rome, but I would recommend going to Musee de l'Orangerie to see them if you haven't. It was something I had seen many images of (who hasn't?) but the actual thing was so much more.
posted by miscbuff at 8:07 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I have only been to the Louvre once. As another art history person in this thread I agree with a lot of the advice about serendipity and sort of drifting until something stops you in your tracks. I remember loving the Girodet Endymion endormi on my visit, and just looked it up - it looks boring on the internet but I remember being sort of ravished by it.
The musée d'Orsay was really great, on that same trip. We had a snowy day so I remember it was not that crowded, very nice, and it was a chance to see a lot of Manet in one place.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:11 AM on March 8
The musée d'Orsay was really great, on that same trip. We had a snowy day so I remember it was not that crowded, very nice, and it was a chance to see a lot of Manet in one place.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 8:11 AM on March 8
Best answer: Look at the websites of the museums you want to visit online to view their collection and where specific pieces are located to pre plan your visit.
For example, Raft of the Medusa is stunning in person and worth the visit. Find out where that painting is in the building and go see that first while you are still energized and fresh. Then, visit the other pieces in descending order. David's Napoleon, The Victory, the Monet collection and some of the others listed above a very much worth the visit. You may want to circle back to revisit some of them after a nice refreshment break.
Be prepared for the fact that crowds of people will be there; the galleries only get more crowded as the day progresses, so arriving early is best. Be prepared for the fact that many people will be standing in front of the painting to get a selfie, not even looking at the work and obstructing your access. It's just the reality nowadays; don't let it diminish your enjoyment of the works. Keep your wits about you; pickpockets love large crowds with distracted viewers.
I really like the Cluny Museum. It once was the most powerful monastery in Paris, and it's built on top of Roman ruins. It's quite beautiful and has a lovely collection of Medieval artworks and relics. It's relatively less crowded, and it has a very famous unicorn tapestry as part of its collection. If you descend to the ground floor, the Roman ruins are excavated and you can walk amongst them. It's a lovely set of things to see, and then step back into the modern Paris.
posted by effluvia at 8:15 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
For example, Raft of the Medusa is stunning in person and worth the visit. Find out where that painting is in the building and go see that first while you are still energized and fresh. Then, visit the other pieces in descending order. David's Napoleon, The Victory, the Monet collection and some of the others listed above a very much worth the visit. You may want to circle back to revisit some of them after a nice refreshment break.
Be prepared for the fact that crowds of people will be there; the galleries only get more crowded as the day progresses, so arriving early is best. Be prepared for the fact that many people will be standing in front of the painting to get a selfie, not even looking at the work and obstructing your access. It's just the reality nowadays; don't let it diminish your enjoyment of the works. Keep your wits about you; pickpockets love large crowds with distracted viewers.
I really like the Cluny Museum. It once was the most powerful monastery in Paris, and it's built on top of Roman ruins. It's quite beautiful and has a lovely collection of Medieval artworks and relics. It's relatively less crowded, and it has a very famous unicorn tapestry as part of its collection. If you descend to the ground floor, the Roman ruins are excavated and you can walk amongst them. It's a lovely set of things to see, and then step back into the modern Paris.
posted by effluvia at 8:15 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
For the Louvre, this is quite a longshot, bit the Nintendo 3DS used to have this app where you could see some of the exhibits in 3D. (They Eden had some in the museum for visitors.)
This had a dual purpose: inside the museum, it acted as a self-guided tour (including showing you the route) but since it also contains the descriptions, you could also prepare your own route in advance, at home. (Or just do the virtual visit only, I guess.)
If you can get a hold of a 3DS, I would recommend creating your own tour like this, picking no more than a dozen items with a mix of fabulous stuff and stuff that just sounds intriguing. I remember really enjoying our personal tour.
posted by demi-octopus at 8:38 AM on March 8
This had a dual purpose: inside the museum, it acted as a self-guided tour (including showing you the route) but since it also contains the descriptions, you could also prepare your own route in advance, at home. (Or just do the virtual visit only, I guess.)
If you can get a hold of a 3DS, I would recommend creating your own tour like this, picking no more than a dozen items with a mix of fabulous stuff and stuff that just sounds intriguing. I remember really enjoying our personal tour.
posted by demi-octopus at 8:38 AM on March 8
The #1 most enjoyable hours I've ever spent in any museum anywhere were when we took a guided tour offered by Paris Muse at the Louvre. We did the family one, and it was a focused two hours where the guide not only showed us the best stuff, but put it all in context, and context is everything. I left feeling absolutely, electrically alive with appreciation of all the things we'd seen. My kid loved it. Mr. Blah loved it. 10/10 would do again every time I'm in Paris.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
Best answer: My hands-down best art experience was seeing Monet's Waterlilies in the Musée de l'Orangerie. The space is set up with benches so you can just sit down and absorb the impression (see what I did there) of being surrounded by water lilies.
(It's an oval room, so almost like an IMAX theatre, but with a static image.)
posted by demi-octopus at 8:42 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
(It's an oval room, so almost like an IMAX theatre, but with a static image.)
posted by demi-octopus at 8:42 AM on March 8 [4 favorites]
I’ll second visiting Deyrolle - its is very near the Musee d’Orsay. And once you are at the M d’O, it is a lovely ‘all stars of impressionist painting’ exhibit on the top floor. And you can randomly walk through and stop-where-attracted for the other floors. There isn’t a quiz.
posted by janell at 8:51 AM on March 8
posted by janell at 8:51 AM on March 8
Best answer: +1 to the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre. It literally made me gasp. I also really liked the Venus de Milo, but the Winged Victory by itself was worth the entire visit for me.
I lucked out that when I went to Paris it was during a national holiday and the Louvre was actually not crowded at all. We walked in and right up to the Mona Lisa without any issue - I think that made its small size less disappointing to us since we were able to see it right at the barrier.
My sister was absolutely obsessed with the Egyptian wing(s?), so there is a rec there.
posted by Julnyes at 9:02 AM on March 8
I lucked out that when I went to Paris it was during a national holiday and the Louvre was actually not crowded at all. We walked in and right up to the Mona Lisa without any issue - I think that made its small size less disappointing to us since we were able to see it right at the barrier.
My sister was absolutely obsessed with the Egyptian wing(s?), so there is a rec there.
posted by Julnyes at 9:02 AM on March 8
Best answer: My hands-down best art experience was seeing Monet's Waterlilies in the Musée de l'Orangerie. The space is set up with benches so you can just sit down and absorb the impression (see what I did there) of being surrounded by water lilies.
+1 to this being to this being the right answer, despite it not being an actual answer to the question you asked. It's one thing to see a Water Lilies painting or two on their own in a museum. It's another thing entirely to be surrounded by and immersed in Water Lilies panels 6 feet tall and 100 feet long and wrapping around you 360 degrees. And there are two rooms of them! Both built and designed specifically to house the panels. Definitely my top art experience in Paris and a contender for top art experience of my life.
posted by bassooner at 9:28 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
+1 to this being to this being the right answer, despite it not being an actual answer to the question you asked. It's one thing to see a Water Lilies painting or two on their own in a museum. It's another thing entirely to be surrounded by and immersed in Water Lilies panels 6 feet tall and 100 feet long and wrapping around you 360 degrees. And there are two rooms of them! Both built and designed specifically to house the panels. Definitely my top art experience in Paris and a contender for top art experience of my life.
posted by bassooner at 9:28 AM on March 8 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I agree about the Winged Victory of Samothrace. My last trip to the Louvre, that was the only thing I wanted to see, and I enjoyed meandering my way through the museum through it. It is a really powerful piece of art. Apart from the artwork and sculptures, I enjoyed the architecture of the Louvre, the ornate ceilings, the cherubs and faces carved into the corners of the walls.
Can't wait to visit the Orsay next time I'm in Paris.
posted by unicorn chaser at 9:47 AM on March 8
Can't wait to visit the Orsay next time I'm in Paris.
posted by unicorn chaser at 9:47 AM on March 8
Best answer: Many good suggestions for exhibits at the Louvre, although I do agree with the takes that it is not the greatest experience. There were so many people there when we visited it was like a crowded subway station.
However, the highlights for me were the Winged Victory, which is truly spectacular, the Jacques Louis David paintings, and I am glad someone else pointed out going to see the foundations of the medieval castle in the basement.
If you do go the Mona Lisa room, turn around and look at the giant Wedding at Cana by Veronese hanging on the opposite wall, right where you enter. It's a fabulous painting in the worst possible location - directly across from the Mona Lisa!
I also enjoyed just looking at the rooms and architecture itself, rather than the paintings. The older parts of the palace from Louis XIII's era, where the Egyptian artifacts are stored, are particularly fascinating.
posted by fortitude25 at 10:00 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
However, the highlights for me were the Winged Victory, which is truly spectacular, the Jacques Louis David paintings, and I am glad someone else pointed out going to see the foundations of the medieval castle in the basement.
If you do go the Mona Lisa room, turn around and look at the giant Wedding at Cana by Veronese hanging on the opposite wall, right where you enter. It's a fabulous painting in the worst possible location - directly across from the Mona Lisa!
I also enjoyed just looking at the rooms and architecture itself, rather than the paintings. The older parts of the palace from Louis XIII's era, where the Egyptian artifacts are stored, are particularly fascinating.
posted by fortitude25 at 10:00 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
Poor Venus de Milo. Like EmpressCalligyptos, I also have a photo not really of her, but of the people around her. And on my last trip I took a photo of a sign in the gallery with the Mona Lisa that says basically Don't be mean to the people who work here.
posted by PussKillian at 10:01 AM on March 8
posted by PussKillian at 10:01 AM on March 8
For the Louvre, for me the must-see is the Assyrian Museum and The Palace of Sargon II, which is absolutely crazy. My parents and I wandered around and stumbled into it and were completely astounded. It is at first incredibly beautiful to wander around it, and then second it's absolutely sobering to consider how French colonialism could literally excavate an entire fucking palace and house it in a basement? The Medieval Louvre is also super cool. I also recommend any of the Chinese art, because there is a certain interesting colonial animosity, especially in their choice of super beautiful fine horse sculptures.
The second is that in the Mona Lisa room, between the Mona Lisa painting and the giant painting on the other side of the wall, there are ton of little paintings on the walls on the left and right that no one pays attention to. There is a very specific painting of a woman being groped by someone and her eye-rolling. I definitely probably looked at that way more than the Mona Lisa, but the Mona Lisa itself is pretty interesting for the ambiguity, it has an ethereal quality in the paint that you can't really see online. Also lots of very nice paintings with beautiful chiaroscuro in those rooms too.
posted by yueliang at 10:20 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
The second is that in the Mona Lisa room, between the Mona Lisa painting and the giant painting on the other side of the wall, there are ton of little paintings on the walls on the left and right that no one pays attention to. There is a very specific painting of a woman being groped by someone and her eye-rolling. I definitely probably looked at that way more than the Mona Lisa, but the Mona Lisa itself is pretty interesting for the ambiguity, it has an ethereal quality in the paint that you can't really see online. Also lots of very nice paintings with beautiful chiaroscuro in those rooms too.
posted by yueliang at 10:20 AM on March 8 [2 favorites]
If you like Impressionism there is a (ticketed in advance) special exhibit at the Musée d’Orsay celebrating 150 years of Impressionism.
posted by ellieBOA at 10:24 AM on March 8
posted by ellieBOA at 10:24 AM on March 8
Best answer: Also, the Winged Victory of Samothrace is truly very beautiful. It's also quite awkward because if I remember correctly, it's at the top of a ton of stairs? So be prepared for that. Also, be prepared for walking around hallways and corridors and just randomly seeing really wild art and excavated stuff. I'm glad that my family and I followed our instincts and went to less busy areas and followed what we liked and found interesting, that made the trip a lot more meaningful to us.
posted by yueliang at 10:33 AM on March 8
posted by yueliang at 10:33 AM on March 8
Wandering is how I turned the corner into the Salle des Cariatides (Sully Rm 348, on the west side of the square courtyard) and at the sight of the caryatids way across the room, tears! I’ve never forgotten. They’re Renaissance, based on Roman and original to the Louvre when it was a palace. Just…awesome.
Did you see this link re quieter entrances and ticket offices? Also has advice about going later in day, or even after 6 pm on late closing nights. Info is two years old so check first.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:26 AM on March 8
Did you see this link re quieter entrances and ticket offices? Also has advice about going later in day, or even after 6 pm on late closing nights. Info is two years old so check first.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 11:26 AM on March 8
Go to the Louvre, to the room the Mona Lisa is in.
Turn your back to her - well. To everyone trying to get a decent photo of her behind the two inches of bulletproof glass.
You will then be able to feast your eyes on the majesty of Veronese's The Wedding at Cana. Roughly 21 feet by 32 feet of glorious, colourful, exquisite art, and she's summarily ignored for a painting you'll get a better view of in the gift shop.
I spent half an hour absolutely mesmerized by The Wedding at Cana, and it was only that little because I had to leave.
Turn your back on the Mona Lisa. You won't regret it.
posted by Tamanna at 11:32 AM on March 8 [5 favorites]
Turn your back to her - well. To everyone trying to get a decent photo of her behind the two inches of bulletproof glass.
You will then be able to feast your eyes on the majesty of Veronese's The Wedding at Cana. Roughly 21 feet by 32 feet of glorious, colourful, exquisite art, and she's summarily ignored for a painting you'll get a better view of in the gift shop.
I spent half an hour absolutely mesmerized by The Wedding at Cana, and it was only that little because I had to leave.
Turn your back on the Mona Lisa. You won't regret it.
posted by Tamanna at 11:32 AM on March 8 [5 favorites]
Oh, not related to either museum, but I cannot recommend Sandemann's Tours enough. Loved their free tours and their paid tour of Versailles would have been a bargain at twice the price.
posted by Tamanna at 11:36 AM on March 8
posted by Tamanna at 11:36 AM on March 8
FYI you don't have to climb up that entire stairway to reach the Winged Victory of Samothrace. On the same level you can approach it from the Sully wing (which puts you behind its right shoulder), or from upper level galleries in the Denon wing.
What has most delighted me is entirely idiosyncratic and coincidental. The Winged Victory of Samothrace had been a reference item in an architectural history class in college, but I somehow either hadn't known or had forgotten that it was in the Louvre until I saw it at the top of that stairway. On a more recent visit to Paris, it took me a few minutes to realize that a particular painting at the Musée d'Orsay looked eerily familiar because I had seen it at the National Gallery of Art in DC a few months earlier. But you're probably not likely to repeat my lived experiences.
On our 2017 visit my wife and I basically admitted defeat at the Louvre before we even started. She wanted to see some of the Greek antiquities, and I'd been there before so I was open to whatever, so after we checked a few things off the list we pretty much just wandered and tried to remember to look at the ceilings and not just the walls. Aside from a few places where the selfie takers were overwhelming (Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa) the crowds weren't a problem at all. It was awesome. There's a lot to look at aside from those three things.
posted by fedward at 1:32 PM on March 8
What has most delighted me is entirely idiosyncratic and coincidental. The Winged Victory of Samothrace had been a reference item in an architectural history class in college, but I somehow either hadn't known or had forgotten that it was in the Louvre until I saw it at the top of that stairway. On a more recent visit to Paris, it took me a few minutes to realize that a particular painting at the Musée d'Orsay looked eerily familiar because I had seen it at the National Gallery of Art in DC a few months earlier. But you're probably not likely to repeat my lived experiences.
On our 2017 visit my wife and I basically admitted defeat at the Louvre before we even started. She wanted to see some of the Greek antiquities, and I'd been there before so I was open to whatever, so after we checked a few things off the list we pretty much just wandered and tried to remember to look at the ceilings and not just the walls. Aside from a few places where the selfie takers were overwhelming (Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa) the crowds weren't a problem at all. It was awesome. There's a lot to look at aside from those three things.
posted by fedward at 1:32 PM on March 8
Best answer: I loved seeing the Nike (Winged Victory) of Samothrace. I was with non-Classicist colleagues on my one and only visit to the Louvre, one of whom desperately wanted to see the Mona Lisa, so we ran (almost literally) through the Ancient Greek and Roman art on the way - the only things I specifically remember are the Nike, which I was expecting, and the Hermaphroditus (mentioned above), which I was not. Everything else was a blur. (The Mona Lisa was 100% not worth it, but my colleague was happy.)
The Musée D'Orsay has one thing I knew I wanted to see: Manet's Olympia. Not to be missed indeed!
But the surprise at the Musée D'Orsay for me, the only work of art that has ever truly made me gasp aloud, was Gustave Caillebotte's Raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers). Clichéd perhaps, but photos truly don't do it justice. I could see exactly why it was rejected by the mainstream Salon in 1875: the juxtaposition of the (eroticized) male heroic figures with the realism of their modern, urban, working lives; the energy of the captured image with its straight and curved lines and the sharp light; the implied conversation between the two front subjects -- everything about it just seriously took my breath away. Most of all, for me as a queer viewer, the immediate conviction that this was a specifically queer painting - I have never experienced such a shock of recognition in a work of art like that. So that's the one artwork I would absolutely always want to show to anyone I was bringing there!
posted by lysimache at 3:39 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
The Musée D'Orsay has one thing I knew I wanted to see: Manet's Olympia. Not to be missed indeed!
But the surprise at the Musée D'Orsay for me, the only work of art that has ever truly made me gasp aloud, was Gustave Caillebotte's Raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers). Clichéd perhaps, but photos truly don't do it justice. I could see exactly why it was rejected by the mainstream Salon in 1875: the juxtaposition of the (eroticized) male heroic figures with the realism of their modern, urban, working lives; the energy of the captured image with its straight and curved lines and the sharp light; the implied conversation between the two front subjects -- everything about it just seriously took my breath away. Most of all, for me as a queer viewer, the immediate conviction that this was a specifically queer painting - I have never experienced such a shock of recognition in a work of art like that. So that's the one artwork I would absolutely always want to show to anyone I was bringing there!
posted by lysimache at 3:39 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]
Gustave Caillebotte's Raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers). Clichéd perhaps, but photos truly don't do it justice.
Not the same type of piece at all, but I was going to come in with the same painter's Vue de toits (Effet de neige) (called in English generally Rooftops in the Snow), also at the d'Orsay. Caillebotte is an oddball among even the Impressionists, and his work speaks to me a lot more strongly than that of most of his peers (the Impressionist pieces I find most interesting are not depictions of nature, but of civilization, like Monet's Gare Saint Lazare, at the M d'O, too).
Speaking of which, there is far too much great art for you to possibly hope to see in these two museums in a short visit, so you must have the confidence to listen to your own sensibility. Seeing 15 great works in rapid succession is just going to leave you stunned and numbed. Pick a few from those here and let your own eyes fill in the rest as you move from gallery to gallery.
posted by praemunire at 3:49 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Not the same type of piece at all, but I was going to come in with the same painter's Vue de toits (Effet de neige) (called in English generally Rooftops in the Snow), also at the d'Orsay. Caillebotte is an oddball among even the Impressionists, and his work speaks to me a lot more strongly than that of most of his peers (the Impressionist pieces I find most interesting are not depictions of nature, but of civilization, like Monet's Gare Saint Lazare, at the M d'O, too).
Speaking of which, there is far too much great art for you to possibly hope to see in these two museums in a short visit, so you must have the confidence to listen to your own sensibility. Seeing 15 great works in rapid succession is just going to leave you stunned and numbed. Pick a few from those here and let your own eyes fill in the rest as you move from gallery to gallery.
posted by praemunire at 3:49 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Story Behind the Gericault painting "Raft of the Medusa" Llama, this is a recent historical narration behind the famous painting, and this particular work by Gericault was also a metaphor for the French State. I thought you might find it enriching for the painting you specifically wanted to see.
posted by effluvia at 5:06 PM on March 8
posted by effluvia at 5:06 PM on March 8
The Louvre was like an insanely crowded orgy of mostly religiously symbolic art. And a grand unapologetic display of loot and subjugation. Yes, I couldn't separate that either. It was suffocating; it was repetitive.
Pompidou, on the other hand, was like a breeze of fresh air. Next time I am in Paris, I will not even look toward the Louvre.
posted by amar at 9:04 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Pompidou, on the other hand, was like a breeze of fresh air. Next time I am in Paris, I will not even look toward the Louvre.
posted by amar at 9:04 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Coming back to say -- I really loved our tour guide we had for the Louvre, who was interestingly low-key about her feminist sensibilities. She mentioned how Sarcophagus of the Spouses was a deeply interesting take on gender equality during the time, and she showed us The Slaves by Michaelangelo and was being coy about "no one knows why he chose these subjects." The Slaves was a really big deal and a huge surprise to me to see because like, yeah, Michaelangelo was definitely gay and horny as hell...the sheer erotic energy emanating from those sculptures, especially the Dying Slave one, is unable to be captured in photos.
Louvre is exceedingly weird
posted by yueliang at 1:22 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]
Louvre is exceedingly weird
posted by yueliang at 1:22 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]
Well, this is the opposite of what you asked. At the Louvre, I found the "Mona Lisa" one of my most disappointing experiences in a museum. Your mileage may vary, but I wouldn't fight any crowds to see it. There are works one has seen in reproduction all of life that blow one away IRL. For me, I remember Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" at the Phillips in Washington and the Botticelli's along with Caravaggio's "Medusa" at the Uffizi. With the "Mona Lisa," my experience was the opposite. The IRL painting might as well have been a reproduction on a postcard.
posted by tmdonahue at 5:34 AM on March 9
posted by tmdonahue at 5:34 AM on March 9
Best answer: Another strong yes for Winged Victory of Samothrace. We were at the Louvre on a pretty busy day late in the pre-selfy era. The Mona Lisa gallery was packed, and though I expected that I felt disappointed and overwhelmed by the innumerable displays and galleries and the never-ending people.
Then I came to Winged Victory. I spent easily 15 or 20 minutes just looking at it, taking a few photos, moving around it slowly while others milled about and passed through. It expanded, if not created, a profound sense that ancient people were actual living souls with feelings and the need to express them through art.
If (when!) I return to Paris it’s one of the few things I’m completely committed to seeing again.
posted by conscious matter at 7:30 AM on March 9
Then I came to Winged Victory. I spent easily 15 or 20 minutes just looking at it, taking a few photos, moving around it slowly while others milled about and passed through. It expanded, if not created, a profound sense that ancient people were actual living souls with feelings and the need to express them through art.
If (when!) I return to Paris it’s one of the few things I’m completely committed to seeing again.
posted by conscious matter at 7:30 AM on March 9
To me, the Mona Lisa is the biggest disappointment in the Louvre. It's dwarfed by the huge room it is in, and by the Wedding at Cana on the opposite wall. The mob of selfie takers adds the final insult.
The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is a wonderful palette cleanser after the Mona Lisa, and one of the few ancient sculptures of happy people.
posted by monotreme at 11:41 AM on March 9
The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is a wonderful palette cleanser after the Mona Lisa, and one of the few ancient sculptures of happy people.
posted by monotreme at 11:41 AM on March 9
Not exactly on point, but I would urge you to go earliest to the Musée Carnevalet (a museum of the history of Paris) to get oriented. Their bookshop will help you figure things out -- maybe they'll still have (or websites will) a guide to the sights of Paris as seen from the public bus network. In the Louvre, rooms neglected by most visitors have treasures if you just look closely (ancient Egyptian children's grave goods; Greek vases that aren't famous). Paris has many small unfrequented but interesting museums -- with a month, you'll have time to show them some love.
posted by diodotos at 7:09 PM on March 9
posted by diodotos at 7:09 PM on March 9
Best answer: At the D'Orsay look for Doré's Enigma, or L'enigme. Made in the context of the Franco-Prussian war, the depiction of an angel and sphinx embracing in grief (?) on a battlefield is extremely take-my-breath-away to me.
Last time I was there (years ago) it was down for cleaning! D:
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:58 PM on March 10
Last time I was there (years ago) it was down for cleaning! D:
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 6:58 PM on March 10
Response by poster: I promise I have zero interest in the Mona Lisa. She looks bored and I take her word for it. My mother is already complaining about my disinterest. But you have to see it! You're in Paris!
Mom, I really don't.
You have sold the Winged Victory of Samothrace, though, Metafilter.
Raft of the Medusa is the cover of the Pogues album, Rum Sodomy and the Lash, and as such, has a place near to my heart - but - it's enormous. In real life 16' x 23'. Hell yes I want to see that.
I have ideas for some swoony stuff in both places so thank you.
If I'm going to go to this level of trouble of going to museums, I want to be swept away, as swept away as I am reading my favorite poems. "Staring at a thing" isn't the same thing as being moved by it, and I don't have patience for staring at a thing...just because. I'll decide what I'm swept away by. I'll notice, having been swept away.
My daughter has never been in an airplane before.
THAT is being swept away.
Honestly it's seeming like 1-2 hours at the Louvre and 3-4 at the d'Orsay and maybe add another museum. Or not. Plus Catacombs. One thing, most days, and then empty time, I promise.
Anyone has other suggestions, eager to hear them here or via DM.
Merci.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:29 PM on March 11 [2 favorites]
Mom, I really don't.
You have sold the Winged Victory of Samothrace, though, Metafilter.
Raft of the Medusa is the cover of the Pogues album, Rum Sodomy and the Lash, and as such, has a place near to my heart - but - it's enormous. In real life 16' x 23'. Hell yes I want to see that.
I have ideas for some swoony stuff in both places so thank you.
If I'm going to go to this level of trouble of going to museums, I want to be swept away, as swept away as I am reading my favorite poems. "Staring at a thing" isn't the same thing as being moved by it, and I don't have patience for staring at a thing...just because. I'll decide what I'm swept away by. I'll notice, having been swept away.
My daughter has never been in an airplane before.
THAT is being swept away.
Honestly it's seeming like 1-2 hours at the Louvre and 3-4 at the d'Orsay and maybe add another museum. Or not. Plus Catacombs. One thing, most days, and then empty time, I promise.
Anyone has other suggestions, eager to hear them here or via DM.
Merci.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:29 PM on March 11 [2 favorites]
Best answer: One more Louvre note - there is a room in the Egyptian collection that is filled with black stone lion-headed female figures. I definitely felt some strong feelings there.
A poor picture I found here: https://mcalp.fr/post/legypte-ancienne-a-paris-musee-du-louvre-et-osirisexpo/louvre-collection-egyptienne-sekhmet-deesse-a-tete-de-lion/#jp-carousel-6147
posted by Lookinguppy at 12:56 PM on March 14
A poor picture I found here: https://mcalp.fr/post/legypte-ancienne-a-paris-musee-du-louvre-et-osirisexpo/louvre-collection-egyptienne-sekhmet-deesse-a-tete-de-lion/#jp-carousel-6147
posted by Lookinguppy at 12:56 PM on March 14
Response by poster: re the suggestions above regarding the sculptures at the Louvre: 1000%.
They were pure magic.
The paintings, there were some that were beautiful and ethereal, I found artists I never would have known of, the Wreck of the Medusa was lovely, if lovely can be said of a handful of people who survived a devastating shipwreck, the Mona Lisa was exactly like every image of the Mona Lisa you have seen in your entire life, but the sculptures...the solidity of stone and as mentioned upthread - the contrast of that against the texture of hair, of flowing fabric, and the timelessness of it, you can feel the human effort to carve movement and a single moment in time from *stone* -- that is the take your breath away magic -- the capability and stubbornness of humans creating beauty in this world.
We went on a lovely nighttime dinner cruise on the Seine and spent four or five hours at the Louvre. Kept it simple.
Thank you everyone. This helped me focus.
Bonus opinion food story: I got to try escargot. If you are, like me, a lover of raw oysters and roasted marrow bones and various food items others find iffy and you think 'huh. I'd probably like that, given enough time on this earth, I'll put it in my food hole': It's fine. It's a lot like the Mona Lisa though. You needn't go out of your way.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:34 PM on April 21 [2 favorites]
They were pure magic.
The paintings, there were some that were beautiful and ethereal, I found artists I never would have known of, the Wreck of the Medusa was lovely, if lovely can be said of a handful of people who survived a devastating shipwreck, the Mona Lisa was exactly like every image of the Mona Lisa you have seen in your entire life, but the sculptures...the solidity of stone and as mentioned upthread - the contrast of that against the texture of hair, of flowing fabric, and the timelessness of it, you can feel the human effort to carve movement and a single moment in time from *stone* -- that is the take your breath away magic -- the capability and stubbornness of humans creating beauty in this world.
We went on a lovely nighttime dinner cruise on the Seine and spent four or five hours at the Louvre. Kept it simple.
Thank you everyone. This helped me focus.
Bonus opinion food story: I got to try escargot. If you are, like me, a lover of raw oysters and roasted marrow bones and various food items others find iffy and you think 'huh. I'd probably like that, given enough time on this earth, I'll put it in my food hole': It's fine. It's a lot like the Mona Lisa though. You needn't go out of your way.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:34 PM on April 21 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Oh: Winged Victory of Samothrace was indeed pretty damn great.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:34 PM on April 21
posted by A Terrible Llama at 1:34 PM on April 21
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If you're reading the info cards for longer than you're looking at the art, move on. Art should not need explanation to reach you. (Corollary: info may deepen your appreciation, but it should not spark it.)
If you look at some art and think, "i don't get it," move on. Art should touch you immediately.
If you enter a gallery space and it's full of people, or if there are lots of people trying to see the same art, come back later if you can. Few things ruin visceral appreciation of art more than jostling and being jostled for a vantage point.
Don't think that there's something wrong with you, or you're not cultured enough, for not appreciating something other people seem to like. Appreciating art is the most personal of experiences, and your feelings are your own entirely.
Similarly, a lot of art has targeted audiences that may not be apparent, so if you don't "get it" that's not a problem with you. That's an perspective mismatch between the artist and you, and it's fine.
Finally, and this is mostly a big museum thing: walk fast through the gallery spaces and let things grab your attention, then move on. Big museums are like a buffet -- get a sense for what's there at first with a quick surfey, ignore what doesn't suit your interests, and then go back and feast on what feeds your soul.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:01 AM on March 8 [12 favorites]