Musee de l'Orangerie

After we saw the Louvre, we were a little art-exhausted. We walked across the Jardin des Tuileries (the royal gardens) and sat for a while and decided we had just enough art-stamina in us for the Musee de l'Orangerie. We didn't regret it.



The top floor of the museum is made up of two white, oval rooms, with benches along the middle, and, in each, four of Monet's waterlily paintings stretching all around you. They progress through the seasons, showing the same scene in different lights; delicate hues of purple, orange, and greens playing across the water and the reeds.

On the lower level, there is some great impressionistic art, and even a modern exhibit. I think we will come back to that when we talk about the Musee d' Orsay. Instead, I'd like to include one of my favorite parts of the Spring waterlilies painting, with the tree.