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15 Lesser-Known Museums in Paris

15 Lesser-Known Museums in Paris

Everyone knows the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, but in Paris, there are plenty of opportunities to find lesser known museums.  Most of these are kind of double-headers as museums go.  The house or building is an outstanding work of art along with the art that is inside.  Make sure to put a few of the two-for-ones on your Paris List.

1.  Musée Picasso Paris

Musee Picasso Paris

Photo by Yann Caradec from Paris, France, Musée Picasso, Paris 1 November 2014, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Musée Picasso Paris is located in the newly renovated Hôtel Salé.  Originally restored between 1974 – 1979 as an historical monument, it was transformed into a museum between 1979 and the 1985 opening.

During that time, the house from the 1600s was carefully converted into a magnificent art space.  It is truly an outstanding example of a Hotel Particulier – or private mansion.

In 1985, Bruno Foucart described the Hôtel Salé as, “the grandest, most extraordinary, if not the most extravagant, of the grand Parisian houses of the 17th century”.

And, what is inside?  Works from the prolific master, Pablo Picasso.  More than 5,000 paintings, etchings, engravings, sketches and sculputures.

Make sure to notice the incredible stucco and stone work in the mansion – you really can’t help but see it.

2.  Musée Marmottan Monet

Monet: Impression, soleil levant

Claude Monet, “Impression, soleil levant.” The painting that gave its name to Impressionism.

More than 300 works by Claude Monet occupy the Musée Marmottan Monet.  The elegant home in the 16th arrondissement is where you can see the painting that gave its name to Impressionism.  Claude Monet’s “Impression, soleil levant” (“Impression, sunrise” in English), may not be as big of a stunner as other works by Monet.  But, without a doubt, you will instantly recognize it as an impressionist painting.

In 1966, Michel Monet, the son of Claude Monet, gave his inherited collection of his father’s paintings to the Musée Marmottan Monet.  Along with the largest collection of Monets, you can see works by Manet, Monet, Pissaro, Sisley, Morisot and many more.  The house itself is worthy of a visit on its own.  It is a creaky-floored example of a well-off family’s townhouse.

As with several other famous paintings, “Impression, soleil levant” was at the center of an art heist in 1985.  Armed bandits stole that painting and several others.  Eventually, all were recovered in Corsica in 1990.

Late opening until 9pm on Thursdays.

3.  Musée Rodin

Musée Rodin

Musée Rodin

Another incredible house with sumptuous grounds and gardens to match!  After a recent renovation inside the Musée Rodin, it is even more marvelous than before.  This mansion is like a country estate in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.  And, it includes loads of Rodins!  About 300 – both inside and out.

Originally built in the early 1700s on the outer limits of Paris, the Hôtel Biron was commissioned by a wealthy financier.  He did not live to see the project completed, but a host of other luminaries lived in the house from a duchess, to a cardinal, to Jean Cocteau and eventually Rodin.  Rodin made a deal with the French government – let me stay in the house and I will give you all of my remaining art when I die.  Sounds like a good deal.

The house is extraordinary.  High ceilings, wood floors, beautiful staircase, windows everywhere.  And, the sculptures fit as if they were meant to be there – basking in natural light.  On the grounds, you will see old roses with nearly forearm-sized canes and manicured lawns.  Then, under the trees and along the sides, admire monumental sculptures by the master, including the Gates of Hell, the Thinker and the Burghers of Calais.  If you need it, take a rest at the café under the trees.

4.  Maison de Victor Hugo

Maison de Victor Hugo

Maison de Victor Hugo

Want to see what one of the townhouses on the Place des Vosges looks like?  And, visit the home of one of the most famous writers ever?  Find your way to the 4th arrondissement and visit the Maison de Victor Hugo.

Victor Hugo lived in this apartment from 1832 – 1848.  The museum is arranged in chronological order of Hugo’s life.  Decorations and furniture from his other residences have been donated by his family and are shown in various rooms.  As well as seeing the bed where he died in 1885, you can view the desk where he stood to write his famous literature.

Look out the windows for glorious views onto the Place des Vosges and the statue of Louis XIII.  If you are interested in French fiction, history and the life of one of France’s greatest writers, you should consider visiting Maison de Victor Hugo.  Or, go take a look if you just really love the apartments around the Place des Vosges.

5.  Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain (Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art)

This relatively new endeavor in the 14th arrondissement is dedicated to promoting contemporary art from around the world.  Not only contemporary visual art, but also any contemporary art media.

Its website states, “As a reflection of our times, the Fondation Cartier embraces all creative fields and genres of contemporary art, ranging from design to photography, from painting to video art and from fashion to performance art. This testifies to the Fondation Cartier’s commitment and skill, to its blend of rigor and eclecticism which opens up contemporary art and renders it more accessible.”  Read, You will not see any stuffy old portraits here!

Jean Nouvel, the Pritzker Prize winning architect, designed the glass and steel building specifically for the Cartier Foundation.  On the garden side, it is kind of like a layer cake with a terrace on top.  And from the street side it is reflective panels of glass.  You can even take an architectural tour to learn more about the space, see the specially designed furniture and even see some of the offices.

And, get outside to survey the Theatrum Botanicum, the foundation’s garden designed by Lothar Baumgarten.  It is described as a work in progress.  Even though it may seem wild, it is a natural oasis that is a counter point to the rigor of the architecture.

6.  Fondation Louis Vuitton (Louis Vuitton Foundation)

Fondation Louis Vuitton

Photo by Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, Paris 4Y1A3706 (19695496530), CC BY 2.0

Another new and important arts space, the Fondation Louis Vuitton (FVL), is dedicated to promoting art and culture of the 20th and 21st centuries.  Only a little west of Paris proper, the overwhelmingly popular destination is in the Bois de Boulogne.  Frank Gehry designed the architecturally significant structure and it is an artwork itself.

When it opened in 2014, FVL was an immediate hit with the public.  FVL is a private collection that, “comprises a constantly evolving body of work that naturally falls into four categories:  Contemplative, Pop, Expressionist, Music & Sound.”

Be ready to have your senses overloaded while visiting FVL.  If you want to get ready, all of the pieces in the collection can be seen on the website.  And, you can see the multiple exhibitions displayed at any one time from artists from all corners of the globe.

7.  Musée Carnavalet

Paris Map from 1576 by Dalbera

Paris Map from 1576 by Dalbera

In the Marais, two architectural gems of townhouses are joined together creating a museum that tells the history of Paris.  One townhouse was built in the 1550s; the second in 1688.  Together they make up the extraordinary Musée Carnavalet showcasing the history of Paris.

One hundred rooms are chock-a-block with art, objects, furniture and displays.  Plus, the gardens outside are charming and beautiful examples of the French know-how with plants.  From the ancient history of the Parisii, all the way to the 20th century, see the history of the City of Light unfold in this elegant museum.

It is closed for renovation until the end of 2019.

8.  Musée de Cluny, Musée National du Moyen Âge (Cluny Museum, National Museum of the Middle Ages)

Lady and the unicorn tapestries, Cluny Museum

Roman baths in the middle of Paris?  You bet.  What about medieval treasures including the most enigmatic tapestries in the world?  The Cluny Museum is the place for you.

The ancient Roman baths of Lutetia (the Roman name of Paris) date from the 1st or 2nd century AD.  They include a giant cold room (frigidarium), hot rooms (caldarium) and a gym or wrestling room (palestra).  It is amazing to be walking along boulevard St. Germain or boulevard St. Michel and gaze across a lawn and see interesting brick and stone work walls with massive Roman arches.  And, they are conjoined with a 15th century Gothic mansion that was home to the abbots of Cluny.

Inside this turreted medieval showplace you can find medieval and Renaissance works of art.  Amazing objects including statuary, furniture, architectural elements, religious icons, mosaics and tapestries.  A group of maybe the most famous tapestries are displayed here.

The Lady and the Unicorn (La Dame à la Licorne) tapestries are in a room by themselves and it is breathtaking to see these marvelous art works at one time.  First, they are huge.  Second, they are intricately detailed, full of symbolism and gorgeous.  Third, they were woven around 1500 to represent the five senses.  The sixth tapestry shows the lady in front of a tent with a banner containing the words, “à mon seul désir”.  It is this tapestry that is the subject of much discussion as to what that phrase means.  Literally, the words translate as, “to my only desire.”  And, what do those words with those images mean?  Take a look for yourself and make your own determination.

Such intrigue in the Middle Ages!  Like many of the other lesser known museums in this article, the Cluny is a manageable size and great for an hour or two visit.

9.  Musée Jacquemart-André

musee jacquemart-andre

Paolo Uccello (1397 – 1475), Saint Georges and the Dragon

This house museum was designed with the intention of showcasing the owners’ art collection.  Edouard André began passionately collecting art in the 1860s.  And, soon, he needed a place to display it.  So what else does one wealthy art collector do?  He commissioned a mansion on Boulevard Hausmann in the 8th arrondissement.

Little did he know that he would one day meet his collecting match in Nélie Jacquemart.  They married and spent 13 years together in a collecting frenzy.  Even after Edouard died in 1893, she spent the rest of her life collecting art.  And, eventually turning the house into the museum we see today, the Musée Jacquemart-André.

Along with notable sculptures, paintings, decorative objects, carpets and a plethora of art treasures, it includes medieval masterpieces by Botticelli, Donatello, Bellini and Mantegna.  Also, it has a café under a Tiepolo fresco.

10.  Musée Nissim de Camondo

Nissim de Camondo kitchen

Nissim de Camondo kitchen

Count Moïse de Camondo’s express intention was “to recreate an eighteenth-century artistic residence.”  And, that is what he did.  Fully preserved as it was originally built between 1911 and 1914.  It is mansion in the style of the Petit Trianon of Versailles.  But, with all the modern conveniences of the most advanced houses of the time.  (Check out the kitchen.)  And, the Musée Nissim de Camondo is maintained as if it were still a private home.

Can you imagine living in this place?

It is an elegant way to spend an hour or two.  Perusing the objects, imagining life at that time – or in the 18th century, looking out to the Parc Monceau.  Nearly all of the objects are from the second half of the 18th century (1750-1799) from the periods of Louis XV and Louis XVI.  Masterpieces by the most superb craftsmen of the time.  Incredibly beautiful, refined to the last detail.  Carpets, paintings, furniture and all kinds of objects tastefully fill the rooms.

Now, the museum has a restaurant in the former parking area.  So, take your time to explore this mansion.

Along with Beauty Comes a Sad History

However, it is a sad history that provides this beauty.  Nissim de Camondo, the son of Count Moïse de Camondo and his wife Countess Irene, joined the French Army when World War I began.  He became a pilot and died in air combat in 1917.  At the Count’s death in 1935, he left the mansion and its contents to in honor of his son to create a museum.  Later, Nissim’s sister, Béatrice, along with her two children and ex-husband died in Auschwitz.

11. Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet (Guimet Museum)

Guimet Museum

Just down the hill from where visitors gasp at the Eiffel Tower, the Guimet Museum houses France’s national Asian art museum.  Like most of the capitol’s museums, the building is impressive and imposing.

But, the more than 45,000 objects within are even more spectacular.  Masterpieces from the Asian world fill the space.  Musée Guimet holds the largest collection of Asian objects outside of Asia.  Originally, the collection was in Lyon, from where Émile Guilmet hailed.  But, later, moved to Paris.

Tibet, Nepal, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, Indonesia and even more near Eastern cultures are represented.  Monsieur Guimet traveled extensively and collected voraciously.  That is what you can do as an industrialist.

12.  Musée Cernuschi; Musée des Arts de l’Asie de la Ville de Paris (Cernuschi Museum)

Cernuschi Museum

Photo by Guillaume Jacquet, Cernuschi Museum 20060812 138, CC BY-SA 3.0

In 1871, Henri Cernuschi began a 28 month tour of Asia.  On that voyage to the East, he collected around 5,000 pieces of art and artifacts from great Asian civilizations.  All of these were shipped back to Paris and they form the core of this extensive collection.  Imagine that trip!

Han and Wei funerary statutes, Sung porcelain, bronze Buddhas, terracotta works. When visiting Kyoto and Nara, he had to have special permission and was only allowed to enter by sedan chair.  When he returned to Paris after the tour, he built a mansion to house his collection.

Also, Cernuschi acquired some incredible vintage photos of Asia in the 19th century that are fascinating to see.  Before he died, Cernuschi left his home and collection to the City of Paris.  The Cernuschi Museum opened in 1898.

Practically around the corner from the Musée Nissim de Camondo.  Also on the Parc Monceau.

13.  Palais de Tokyo – Two Museums in One

Two museums in one. Photo by Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France, Palais de Tokyo @ Paris (31361278606), CC BY 2.0.

Originally built for the International Exhibition of Arts and Technology of 1937, the name came from the street it was on – the Quai de Tokio.  Currently, the street is named, Avenue de New York.  This grand building is now home to a modern art museum and to Europe’s largest center of contemporary art.

One Museum

On one side, you will find the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (Modern Art Museum of the City of Paris).  Furniture, painting, art objects, carpets, furniture and statuary from the beginning of the 20th century laze around the building.  Nothing is too cramped or squished in this museum.  The rooms are expansive with soaring ceilings.

Along with works by Picasso, Modigliani, Derain, Chagall and other major artists from the period, two exceptional works are here.  One is Raoul Dufy’s, “La Fée électricité,” illustrating man’s harnessing and using electricity.  The mural is in a room by itself, deservedly.  The other is  Henri Matisse’s, “La Danse.”  This installation on an entire wall of an exhibition space of the palais can be breathtaking.

Two Museum

And, on the other side, the Palais de Tokyo.  The contemporary art space only shows temporary exhibitions of emerging art from all over the world.  Read – it can be challenging to comprehend the depth of the artist’s work at a glance.  On the other hand, it is open until Midnight every day except Tuesday.  So, go after dinner if you need a walk.

A little of the description from its website, “A rebellious wasteland with the air of a Palace, an anti-museum in permanent transformation, Palais de Tokyo has kept Paris full of life and on its toes since 2002. At once convivial and challenging, generous and cutting edge, inviting and radical, poetic and transgressive, it is a space to learn, to experience, to feel, and to live – a space from which the unexpected springs forth.”  Go see what can inspire such a description.

Check out the gift shop at the Palais de Tokyo for cool journals as souvenirs for students back home.  And, take a picture in the photo booth, called, “Foto Automat.”  Look for it and pose for the camera.

14.  Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac

Musee du Quai Branly

Musée du Quai Branly

In 2006, the Musée du quai Branly opened to great fanfare.  Finally, France had its wish of a museum dedicated to non-European societies and to presenting the objects formerly seen as ethnographic in an artistic setting.

Jean Nouvel designed the building that sits in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower along the Seine.  One whole side is covered in a living wall of greenery.  As you enter, a clear cylinder of storage is packed with treasures that beckon visitors to crane their necks to see more of what is inside.

And, storage they must have by the boxcar.  The museum is home to more than 300,000 works from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.  ” Located on the banks of the River Seine, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac aims to promote the Arts and Civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, at the crossroads of multiple cultural, religious and historical influences. As a space for scientific and artistic dialog, the museum offers a cultural program of exhibits, performances, lectures, workshops and screenings.”

Although the lighting could be a little brighter so you are not in fear of tripping, the experience is a must.

15.  Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature

From my friend, Lynn – One of the great finds on this past Paris trip was the small museum, Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature.  It is in two buildings.  The 17th c. Hôtel de Guénégaud and the next door 18th c. Hôtel de Mongelas.  It is unlike any museum I have ever been in.  It is set up like  an “imaginary residence of a hunter and collector.”  You wander through rooms dedicated to individual animals, such as the wild boar room.

There you learn how important the boar was for its flesh and how dangerous the animal is.  There are examples of boar teeth, prints, paintings and even drawers with scat.  The way it’s presented is novel and intense and not just a stuffed boar hanging on the wall.  It is as much about art as it is about hunting.  This is true for every room.

Lynn’s description made me put this on my list of must-see places!  Taxidermy included, but, from what it seems, much more as well.

For more on art in Paris, check out New Paris Art Exhibits & Musical Highlights 2019/2020.

And, in case you didn’t know, the Lourve offers free admission on the first Saturday night of every month.

Paris 2019 – Free Admission to the Louvre on the First Saturday Night of Every Month

Paris 2019 – Free Admission to the Louvre on the First Saturday Night of Every Month

As of January, 2019, the Musée du Louvre opens its doors for free to all visitors on the first Saturday night of each month!  That’s right – for free – from 6:00pm to 8:45pm.

Louvre to Open First Saturday Night Each Month with Free Admission

Attempting to attract more first-time locals to visit, the Louvre adds the first Saturday of each month to its free admission line up.  As the most visited museum in the world, the Louvre has no problem attracting visitors.  But, it wants more locals to visit as well.

With this exciting news out of Paris, the Louvre adds more time for locals and visitors from all over the world to visit the Louvre without paying the price of admission.  Right now, a full-price admission ticket is 17 euros.  For a family of 4, that price could keep away many families working full time jobs and trying to make ends meet.  So, to try to get more locals in the doors, it has opened on an additional night.  That is good fortune for visitors, too!

Past Efforts

In the past, the Louvre opened on the first Sunday of each month with free admission, trying to draw in the locals.  But, after reviewing data on visitors coming at that increasingly popular free day, the museum lacked an increase in locals.  It appears that more and more international visitors are taking advantage of the 12 free Sundays each year.  Who doesn’t want a free entry?

One goal of the Louvre is to engage locals.  Saturday night seems like an obvious gateway to reach suburban locals wanting a night out.  Louvre officials hope that this additional free time does the job and entices young adults and families from outside Paris proper to take advantage of the world’s most-visited museum.  In addition to being free, the museum is hosting a board game area and a reading corner – all trying to lure young families in the door!

Bonus for You!

Of course, for non-local visitors, it is a boon as well.  Night visits are an extraordinary way to see the massive royal palace and its dumbfounding treasures.  Along with looking out of the windows into the night sky of the city, fewer people visit at night.  You may wind up in a gallery with entire rooms to yourself.  Admire the art with only your family and friends.  Climb the worn marble stairs alone.  Wander through the vast space and imagine the kings and queens that were there before you.

Musée du Louvre

Hours:  Open Wednesday – Sunday from 9am to 6pm
Night opening until 9:45pm on Wednesdays and Fridays
Night opening until 8:45pm on FIRST Saturday of the month beginning January 2019
CLOSED TUESDAYS
CLOSED: on the following holidays: January 1, May 1, May 8 and December 25.
Arrondissement:  1st
Nearest Métro:  Two stops serve the Louvre.  Exiting at Louvre-Rivoli, you will be at the eastern-most end of the Louvre.  Exiting at Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre, you will be closer to the pyramid entrance and very close to the entrance at the Passage de Richelieu (if they will let you in) and the entrance through the Carousel de Louvre – kind of underground shopping area that leads you to the main entrance under the pyramid.
Nourishment:  Food and drink options available inside the Louvre in various locations – enjoy a baguette sandwich overlooking the entrance while watching the people come down the stairs under the pyramid!
Official websitehttps://www.louvre.fr/en/
Suggested time to visit:  In the evenings on the days it is open late

 

You may also be interested in one of the lesser known museums in Paris, such as Musée Picasso Paris, Musée Marmottan Monet or Musée Rodin. See the article on “15 Lesser-Known Museums in Paris” for more details here.

Cultural Highlights of Fall and Winter 2019 in Paris

Cultural Highlights of Fall and Winter 2019 in Paris

Here Are Some Cultural Highlights Coming to Paris Soon

The upcoming fall and winter Parisian cultural season is the prime time for visitors who love visual and performing arts.  Paris is one of the cultural capitals of the world and each year it puts on a show for locals and visitors.  There is no need to understand French to enjoy paintings and listen to music.  However, drama can be a little daunting.  But, if you love to attend plays, by all means, enjoy the scenery and the acting.

Along with the art being exhibited and performed, the buildings housing these shows and performances are worth exploring and admiring in their own right.  The cultural opportunities in Paris are pretty much endless.  But, here are a few highlights from the upcoming fall and winter Parisian cultural season.

Visual Arts

National Picasso Museum Paris (Musée National Picasso-Paris)

Picasso Masterpieces! is a new exhibit in the newly re-opened museum.  Out of his extraordinarily prolific career, the museum investigates what it means to be a masterpiece.  Some of the pieces are exhibited for the first time in Paris.

Musée d’Orsay

 

Picasso. Blue and Rose.  In collaboration with the Picasso Museum, the Musée d’Orsay is exhibiting paintings, sculptures and drawings in a show of his work from 1900-1906.  The works are arranged showing the artist’s development into the blue and rose periods.  Extraordinary works from when Pablo Picasso was very young.

Orsay through the Eyes of Julian Schnabel.  For its first show of contemporary art, the Musée d’Orsay chose Julian Schnabel to interpret the collection.  The filmmaker and painter includes works from the museum’s collection and also presents some of his own paintings.

Grand Palais

Photo by Ron Clausen

Magnificent Venice!, Miró and Michael Jackson.  The Grand Palais is staging exhibitions this fall and winter season that should entice people with a variety of tastes.  Magnificent Venice! explores Europe and the arts in the 18th century.  While, Miró displays nearly 150 works by the surrealist Spanish master, Joan Miró.  Also, an exhibition on Michael Jackson subtitled, “On the Wall”. It explores the cultural impact of Michael Jackson.  Who is in for some MJ?

Paris Photo.  The annual international photography exhibition in the great hall of the Grand Palais.  Most noteworthy works from well-known masters as well as up and coming stars are shown by galleries from all over the world.  Get ready to be overwhelmed by photographs and see the magnificent glass ceiling.

Petit Palais

Jean Jacque Lequeu

The City of Paris’ fine art museum has a few exhibitions that may attract a more focused group of admirers.  Jean Jacques Lequeu (1757-1826) Builder of Fantasy, shows the complete collection of several hundred drawings by the artist, for the first time.  Another show features the work of the Belgian artist, Fernad Khnopff (1858-1921) The Master of Enigma.  Surprises await those who venture into the Petit Palais.

Louvre Museum

Kohei Nawa Throne

Under the pyramid in the Louvre, a contemporary art installation sure to blow you away.  Kohei Nawa’s Throne, is a monumental gilded work combing modern technology and ancient symbols.

Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

Along with its permanent collection, visit this museum for the amazing building and shows on Zao Wou-Ki and Ron Amir.  The huge rooms are just the place for these artists who produce over-size work.  Zao Wou-Ki paints and draws huge images.  And, this collection of Amir’s large format color photos provide insight into the living conditions of refugees from Sudan and Eritrea.

Performing Arts

Opéra National de Paris

Opera Bastille

Mid-September begins the opera season in Paris.  Productions are being staged at the Opéra Basitlle and the Palais Garnier that include repertory works of Tristan und Isolde, La Traviata, and l’Elisir d’Amore.  And, new productions this fall and winter include Les Huguenots, Bérénice, Il Primo Omicidio and Les Troyens.  And, on December 30 and 31st, the Paris Opera will begin a celebration of its 350th year.  Yes, 350th!  The Paris Opera was begun by Louis XIV in 1669.

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

Verdi’s La Traviata is the main opera production this fall.  And, the beautiful theater which opened in with the performance of Nijinsky’s Rite of Spring.  Imagine being there then!  Chamber Orchestra of Paris also performs in this space with a variety of scheduled appearances.  The theater also schedules vocal recitals, concert productions of operas, classic and contemporary dance and even Sunday Morning concerts!

Orchestre de Paris

Philharmonie de Paris

photo © william beaucardet

The Paris Orchestra (Orchestra de Paris) performs symphonic works in its new home, the organic and innovative Philharmonie de Paris in the Parc de la Villette.   Works by Beethoven, Britten, Berlioz and the rest of the alphabet of composers of grand music.

Palais Opera Ballet

Opera Garnier Interior

Over at the Palais Garnier, dance lovers can visit the fabled opera house which is a venue for the Paris Opera Ballet.  See Decadance, Tribute to Jerome Robbins, Cinderella and even an interesting succession of Goecke/Lidberg/Cherkaoui.  This last is a work that displays dance and theater by three very different choreographers.  No French language skills needed to enjoy the ballet.

Picasso Circus

Coinciding with Picasso. Blue and Rose and Picasso Masterpiece!, the Théâtre du Châtelet will present Picasso Circus in the Musée d’Orsay for people to learn about circus acts, meet performers and see demonstrations.

Théâtre de la Ville

Sambasô, Divine Dance is a riveting “ritual dance … performed by three generations of the Nomura family of actors who glorify and revolutionize the “kyôgen” tradition.”  Stage design by the renown photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto.  The Théâtre de la Ville is closed for renovations, but its events are being staged around town, and this one is in the Espace Cardin.

Comédie-Française

This acting troupe was formed by Louis XIV in 1680.  They perform in several venues, but the luxe Salle Richelieu theater in the Palais Royal complex provides regal seating to watch dramatic performances.  Tune your ear to French while watching the dramas of The Mistress of the Inn by Carlo Goldoni, Lucrezia Borgia by Victor Hugo, or Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Others Worth Investigating

Of course – organ concerts in magnificent churches!

And, for even more performing art events, take a look at these:

Odéon Théâtre de l’Europe

Théâtre National de Chaillot which is the National Theater of Dance

Exhibits at The Met – Gardens and Versailles

Exhibits at The Met – Gardens and Versailles

Are you thinking Paris is too far away for the weekend?  Then head to New York City to explore exhibits on French gardens and Versailles.  That’s right, through the end of July, go see Paris in New York City!  Public Parks, Private Gardens: Paris to Provence and Visitors to Versailles 1682 – 1789.  Both mounted in the halls of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and full of treasures from France.

Exhibition #1 – Public Parks, Private Gardens: Paris to Provence

In Public Parks, Private Gardens: Paris to Provence, The Met, “explores horticultural developments that reshaped the landscape of France and grounded innovative movements—artistic and green—in an era that gave rise to Naturalism, Impressionism, and Art Nouveau.”  All of these artistic movements are well-represented through works presented in this exhibition.

Past urbanites are no different from today’s.  People living in developed cities flock to gardens and parks to be outdoors, enjoy the air, stretch out in the wide open space and delight in the beauty of nature.  To illustrate this love of gardens, the exhibition features a wide range.  Sections include Parks for the Public, Revival of Floral Still Life, Portrait in the Garden and Private Gardens.

Exhibits of Ceramics, Drawings and Paintings to Photography

Choosing works from its extensive holdings, The Met displays drawings, etchings, paintings, glassware, ceramics and even early photographs.  Although the objects show gardens and parks in other parts of France, the majority is focused on Paris and surrounding areas.  Garden lovers will delight in seeing works depicting Fontainebleau, Parc Monceau, Bagatelle, Jardin du Luxembourg, Tuileries, Versailles, along with many other well-known and even less well-known gardens.

Love still life paintings of flowers and garden scenes?  Then this exhibition is for you.  Works by heavy hitters like, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Cézanne, Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, August Renoir, Eugène Atget, Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Mary Cassatt and many more hang from the walls.

Do 18th century Sèvres porcelain vases with garden scenes painted on them get you going?  What about Art Nouveau glass with elegant flower designs in the glass?  Do you enjoy the details of garden plans and garden furnishings?  Then this is exhibit is also for you!  They are all there in cases and on the walls.  Really, anyone who is at all interested in gardens in Paris and in France would enjoy this exhibition.

Even if you cannot make it to New York to enjoy the show in person, the exhibition features an accompanying catalogue.

Exhibition #2 – Visitors to Versailles

In Visitors to Versailles 1682 – 1789, The Met, “highlights the experiences of travelers from 1682, when Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles, to 1789, when the royal family was forced to leave the palace and return to Paris.”  The objects demonstrating this experience range from souvenirs for the visitors to gifts to the royalty and what the visitors wore and saw.

Sections of the exhibit include, Incognito and Private Visitors, To See the King, Getting Dressed for Court, the Gardens and Going to Versailles.  The dedicated rooms in the museum present men’s suits and hunting clothes, women’s court dresses, riding habits, shoes, ball gowns and fans, sculpture, tapestries, rugs, miniature portraits in diamond surrounds, hats, swords, military outfits, furniture, porcelain and objects of art.  Also, very interestingly, paintings of visitors.

And, it is convenient that the garden exhibit in another section of the museum is on at a similar time.  Gardens at the palace were a major part of court life.  You will see multiple illustrations of gardens.  Royalty wanted to be outside too.  Versailles had unending garden delights for royalty and visitors.

Everything is Over the Top, In a Good Way

Like Versailles itself, nearly everything on display is over the top.  Many things are gilded, handmade items have the most intricate detailing, master craftsmen used precious stones and rare and exotic materials – it is all here.  Just take a look at a set of ivory buttons decorated with scenes of Versailles and the gardens – talk about limited edition.  The description explains that the buttons, “intended for a man’s coat may have appealed to tourists.”  Of course, they would!  Fascinating.  And, beautiful.

Along with many items focused on the multiple kings called by the name, “Louis,” Marie Antoinette figures in the exhibition.  Likewise, multiple objects depict the visitors to Versailles.  For example, a Tunisian ambassador, several Asian dignitaries, and would be Americans, like, Benjamin Franklin!  Paintings of Ben and even some of his clothes are on display.  From 1776 until 1785, Benjamin Franklin was the representative to France of the American colonies that revolted against England.  He was at the French court all the time.

Adding to master works from The Met’s holdings, more than 50 lenders, including the Château de Versailles, offered works to the show.

Don’t miss the statue of a monkey riding a goat!

Like Exhibition #1, even if you cannot make it to New York to enjoy the show in person, the exhibition features an accompanying catalogue.  On the cover is an illustration of the gardens of Versailles and visitors enjoying their time in the landscape.

Praise for the exhibition:  ” A fascinating window into how the court would have appeared to foreigners and day trippers alike…. ” -Artnet

Public Parks, Private Gardens: Paris to Provence

Where:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met Fifth Avenue)
Address:  1000 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10028
When:  March 12 – July 29, 2018
Admission:  Entrance fee for museum which includes exhibit
Official websitehttps://metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/public-parks-private-gardens

Visitors to Versailles 1682 – 1789

Where:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met Fifth Avenue)
Address:  1000 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10028
When:  April 16 – July 29, 2018
Admission:  Entrance fee for museum which includes exhibit
Official websitehttps://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/visitors-to-versailles

Rockefeller Collection on View at Christie’s Paris

Rockefeller Collection on View at Christie’s Paris

Want to have a museum experience without going to a museum?  Then head over to Christie’s to see the Peggy and David Rockefeller collection on view.

David Rockefeller was the grandson of John D. Rockefeller – oil magnate and industrialist who founded Standard Oil Company.  David and his wife, Margaret – or Peggy – travelled extensively and collected voraciously.  But, only of the best of the best.  And, supposedly, they both had to agree on any purchase.

If you don’t think it is the best of the best, then take a look at what is hung on the walls of the Christie’s showroom.  Spend your time wisely ogling absolute masterpieces from a list of painters that span much of art history.  Along with collections (plural) covering all of art history from ancient Chinese bronze and porcelain, to French Sèvres porcelain made for the Emperor Napoleon I. The collection even includes  hand-carved duck decoys.

You will find paintings by Eugène Delacroix, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat and Auguste Renoir. And, Edward Hopper, Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, Georgia O’Keefe, even Diego Rivera.  Oh, wait, and a lot more!

The Water Lilies of Giverny on Display

A water lily painting by Claude Monet, Nymphéas en fleur, will transport you instantly to Giverny, Monet’s estate outside Paris.  Pablo Picasso’s Fillette à la corbeille fleurie (Young Girl with a Flower Basket) is from 1905. Gertrude Stein bought this work from Pablo Picasso himself.  There is also Henri Matisse’s, Odalisque couchée aux magnolias, which according to Christie’s, is “among the greatest of Matisse’s paintings in private hands.”

Where can you see things like this?  At auction houses in Paris.  So, if you want a small dose of museum quality art, and maybe even on a very specialized subject, check out the auction houses.

Remember if you decide to purchase something at this auction, all revenues from the sales will be donated to philanthropic causes. Estimates start as low as $200. Because of this, plan to get your wallet out.

If you are in Paris during this extraordinary exhibition, go to Christie’s to see a collection that will likely never be together again.

The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller

Where:  Christie’s Paris
Address:  9 Avenue Matignon
Arrondissement:  8th
Nearest Métro:  Franklin D. Roosevelt
When:  March 16-21, 2018
Official website:  https://www.christies.com

Musée Jacquemart-André Announces Mary Cassatt Exhibition

Musée Jacquemart-André Announces Mary Cassatt Exhibition

The Musée Jacquemart-André announces that it is hosting an exhibition of work by Mary Cassatt in its extraordinary and sumptuous chateau in the middle of Paris. Read the official press release here.

Although this exhibition had been planned for some time, it is highly appropriate in light of the women’s activities that are in the news today. During here lifetime, Mary Cassatt (b. 1844 – d. 1926) was what would now be called a feminist. She advocated equal rights for women from her days in college in the 1860s to campaigning for women’s right to vote in the 1910s.

Cassatt  was born in Pennsylvania to well-educated parents, and eventually took art classes at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.  In 1868, she quite the art academy because of its slow pace and moved to Paris. Cassatt wanted to be a professional artist, not just a painter to pass the time. In Paris she learned from great artists and teachers, had access to the incredible museums and found inspiration from other painters.

Mary Cassatt Found Like-Minded Friends in Paris

Mary not only succeeded while in Paris, but excelled at painting. She grew from producing academic work into an impressionist master. Mary was friends with many well-known impressionist painters including Edgar Degas.  She and Degas became close friends and colleagues, each learning from the other. Along with Degas, Cassatt entered her paintings in the famous salons of Paris and in the Impressionists Exhibitions. Galleries in Paris showed her work with galleries in New York following soon after.

Cassatt’s paintings often feature mothers with their children, sometimes caring for the children in tender moments. As well as painting, she was a master at drawing and print making, she advised art collectors and was awarded the French Legion of Honor in 1904.

The current exhibition includes loans from major museums in the United States and Europe. Masterpieces from institutions like the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée d’Orsay, the Petit Palais, the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts and more are on display in the magnificent museum.  Check out the museum’s site to see how over-the-top the place is.  Then, take a look at the exhibit.  See if it strikes your fancy and post a comment!

Mary Cassatt, An American Impressionist in Paris

Where:  Le Musée Jacquemart-André
Address:  158, boulevard Haussmann
Arrondissement:  8th
Nearest Métro:  Saint-Augustin, Miromesnil or Saint-Philippe du Roule
When:  March 9 – July 23, 2018.  Late openings on Mondays during the exhibition.
Admission:  Entrance fee
Official website:  http://www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com