Musée D'Orsay Visit

So I was recently able to brave the cold and wind, and head out to the Musée D'Orsay near the center of Paris. This museum is most famous for its large Impressionism collection, though it also houses large galleries of Classicism, Neo-Classicism, Photography, Post-Impressionalism, Art Nouveau, and Revolution-era works. The museum has often been called one of the most photograph-able landmark in the city. Unfortunately, sometime in the last few years, the museum has decided to stop allowing photography inside the exhibit hall, which is probably 98% of everything worth photographing. Oddly, though, they permitted you to take your camera in, and many people walked around with their cameras around their necks. If they caught you taking a photo, they would simply tell you not to take any more and walk away. So, with my camera on the Quiet setting, tucked under my jacket when not in use, and resting on railings, I snuck some good photos of the architecture and even a few of the pieces.

The name of this piece has slipped my mind, but the
amount of detail in the marble carving is stunning, especially
for the size of the piece (about 3/4 life size).

Housed in a former train station, the vast, open architecture of steel and glass is almost more beautiful and impressive than the works it holds. As the people bustle around in the galleries, it almost feels natural, like the building could never be any other way.

Shot on the second floor, the grand hall feels impressive. Ironically, this
was shot next to a sign describing the new prohibition of photography.

From the fifth and final floor, the architecture is even more impressive, and
the hundreds of visitors in the galleries below are now rushing to catch
great works of art instead of trains.

As we wandered the galleries, we found some very interesting pieces, including the following, which the artist created in 5 different sizes. The museum had one of each.

This statue of a working class man was created in five sizes.
This was the largest and first of them.

We also discovered some oddities of the architecture, like the Impressionism gallery filled with visitors catching a view through the clock.

The clocks on the south face, still functional, also serve as windows.

There was also a large cafe with a clock window at one end. We wanted to stop, but the museum was closing, and they were cleaning up.

Imagine dining here, amongst the greatest art in the world! All with this stunning
clock window and view of Paris.

Finally, photos were not prohibited outside the building, and the courtyard was dotted with statues.

Science and Medicine. She was one of a series of sculptures.

Petry at the base of another statue. The monkey is being pulled along by an elephant.

Overall, it was a great trip, and I can't wait to go back. Being a long term resident of France, under 26, I get in for free, which means I'll be heading back several times in the next few months to see as much of the collection as possible.

Up next in the Blitz Blogging: Open Mic Night.