Mad about Monet

If you want to see more of Monets works than are on offer at the Musee d'Orsay I'd recommend a visit to the Musee Marmottan or the Musee de l'Orangerie.Or both if you have the time and are interested in this painter.























The Musee Marmottan is housed in the home of famous art historian Paul Marmottan.In 1971 the museum acquired a collection of works by Claude Monet as a bequest from his son Michel.As a result The Musee boasts the worlds largest collection of Monets works.
Some of Monets most famous works are on display in the downstairs area of the mansion.There are the familiar waterlilies paintings but also examples of his work at Giverny and later works.One notable painting on display was Impression-Sunrise which gave rise to the name of the Impressionist school.
On the upper floors are more larger works by Monet including some waterlilies works mounted on the walls as you go up the stairs.Also on the upper floors are paintings from Monets personal collection including works by his fellow Impressionists including Sisley,Pissaro and Renoir.
While you cant take photos of the collection the Marmottan is worth visiting both for the number and variety of Monets work on display.















Musee De L'Orangerie
Located in the grounds of the Jardin des Tuileries is the Musee De L'Orangerie originally the palace greenhouse buildings.
Inside the museum on the ground floor are two oval rooms which house eight huge canvases from Monets Waterlilies series.















The canvases wrap around the walls of the two oval rooms.There are benches in the middle of each room where you can sit and virtually immerse yourself in the paintings as you swivel your head 360 degrees surrounded by the works.















From my notes I wrote that the Museum felt full of light and quite large while I was also surprised at how bright and vivid the paintings were and how close one could get to the paintings to examine the brushwork and strokes.
On the lower levels of the building you can see paintings from a collection of Monets contemporaries including Sisley,Renoir and Cezanne which are an added bonus to the Waterlilies rooms above.
Photos can be taken at the Orangerie as long as you dont use your flash which wont endear you to the Museum staff.