The French like Museums

Museum Post Numbero Uno: Orangerie et Monet-Marmottan. Paris has over 100 museums. Even if I went to a museum each day until the day I should leave, there would not be enough time to see them all! Which means... I've got to be selective and make time for them. Paris is, after all, a lucky spot to have enormous amounts of museums since the temperament is usually drowsy and rainy. Last week I went to Le Musée Monet-Marmottan. Today I went to Le Musée d'Orangerie. Tomorrow I am Rouen/Giverny bound. These museums compliment my trip tomorrow because Monet's work was largely produced in this area. His grand horizontal portraits of water lilies are displayed at  L'Orangerie and some of his other pieces painted of his gardens and city are held at Marmottan. Seeing the work of Monet in person feels like your mind is exhaling for the first time. His pieces are incredibly dreary and dramatic. They rob any words that are trying to muster out of your mouth. A brief history of Monet: Like most artists, Monet's paintings acted as a mirror to his feelings. During the good times at Rouen and Giverny, he painted his garden with tenderness with an array of celebratory colors. However, after the turbulence of his son's and wife's death, his paintings carried his misery through his sombre pallet of paint. Either way, the work of Monet can easily provoke its viewer like sappy romance movies. I wouldn't recommend bringing tissues or anything, but the views within the museums will make you take a seat and reflect (much like a water lilied pond?) upon the power of his work.

Pictures taken at Le Musee d'Orangerie. Photos were not permitted inside Le Musee Monet-Marmotten