Last night I went to Musée d’Orsay looking for Degas dancers and found Monet’s turkeys/dinde🦃 You never know what the Impressionnistes will get up to. The Information desk (rather curtly) told me I could Degas’ dancers🩰by taking the escalator all the way in the back
To the 5th floor - rooms 31-32. It took some arm-twisting to get her to mark it on a plan/map. The Orsay is open late till 9:45 pm on Thursdays. I guess it was a long day for her… In the back on the ground floor was a pocket exhibit on the Opera Garnier! I’ve been staring at that building for two weeks trying to draw it for the latest Paris letter 💌
What a delight to find this painting 😊
When you get to the 5th floor there are big windows looking across the Seine to the Tuileries gardens and the Christmas ferris wheel 🎡
Degas’ la Petite Danseuse de 14 ans. Mary Cassatt, a best friend, predicted Degas would be more famous for his sculptures than his paintings.
Truncated/cutoff flattened figures, repeated diagonals, birds eye overhead camera perspectives feature in many compositions.
Someone, last night, was trying desperately to sketch a Degas dancer in the dark.
Downstairs, some interesting Degas portraits pre-1870. Including an early Roman cast study that looked a lot like the later portraits in its formal simplicity.
Visitors falling asleep in front of Renoir’s relaxed bathers. Too much Turkey? *Note the acrylic benches. Not exactly conducive to napping. Outside beautiful light on the Orsay statues… I hope ❤️ you all had a lovely dinner last night for those who celebrated.
Meanwhile I’m sketching Degas dancers like mad✏️✏️✏️✏️ Last night I came home to Emerald City on the Seine. Even in a state of extreme renovation, Notre Dame is beautiful as ever.
❤️💋🩰🥂🍾🎡Bonne Journée PBers ❤️💋🩰🥂🍾🎡
I adore your posts, Carol. And Musée d'Orsay is one of my fav visits when in Paris. The ballet shoe keyholder is to die for. Happy Thanksgiving to you . All the best
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Maribel. What a pretty name. I loved ❤️ the little ballerina show too…but at 9€ I decided to unlove 💔 it
DeleteCarol, will you be including in your items on Etsy any tributes to Degas?
ReplyDeleteLove your work! Some of my ancestors came from Alsace Lorraine
Ahhh…you read my mind.
DeleteI’m sketching Degas dancers like mad.
You spent a nice Thanksgiving evening among good company! It is always a joy to visit the Musee d’Orsay. They have a nice restaurant as I recall. I love the way you end your evening posts with the beautiful Seine🗼❤️
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun and different way to spend Thanksgiving I must admit. And no tummy ache from over-eating. I took a look in at the elegant restaurant on the second floor - all glass chandeliers and gold rococo relief.
DeleteI remember looking out the big windows at top and seeing Sacre C’or in the distance. It gave me goosebumps!
ReplyDeleteParis is such a goose-bump inducing city ! I am constantly surprised.
DeleteMy best piece of advice I can give about Paris is "when you go to the D'Orsay, say thanks to Gae Aulenti and then head for the escalators in the back to the top floor. There they are! (The Impressionists!)" And that window. Lucky you.
ReplyDeleteIt’s been a while since I’ve visited the d’Orsay. The escalators used to be in the front. You missed out on the stroll through the sculptures. It’s much better now. I don’t remember seing those big windows either…quite thrilling at night.
DeleteI love that clock .Forever in my mind’s eye as well as the tiny dancer.Bravo on the acclaim⭐️⭐️
ReplyDeleteThank you Monique ❤️ What a surprise 😊
DeleteMonique
ReplyDeleteThis was interesting. Love all the details. Lynne
ReplyDeleteYour Garnier posts including the cutaway exhibit takes me back to a Paris visit several years ago. I had worked with the Chef Habilleuse of the Garnier when a dance troupe visited Brooklyn Academy of Music. Beatrice/Chef and I got along quite well (my French we pretty good at the time) and the next year on my visit to Paris Beatrice took my friend and I on a Backstage/Dressing Room/tea room tour of the entire Garnier. I was so honored to have that opportunity. I'll never forget.
ReplyDeleteWeren’t you lucky to get that insiders tour! The Opera Garnier is a gem.
DeleteI don’t much care for going to the Bastille Opera. Not very glam…
Love your Degas tour, he is my favorite - Merci! Dee Ann McIntyre
ReplyDeleteThank you Dee Ann. Mine too
DeleteThanks so, so much for this virtual visit to the Orsay! I l lived just a block down on rue de Lille until mid 2021, so your photos brought back wonderful memories for me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely evening you had, Carol. There was a class of small children with their sketch books sitting on the floor surrounding the sculpture of the dancer last time I was at the Orsay. Paris school children grow up in such a privileged environment.
ReplyDeleteNice to see so few people there in the evening. And your walk home is amazing!
There was a Huge crowd outside waiting to get in and another bigger than usual crowd on the ticketed side. I think they all went to the 2 shows currently on - Rosa Bonheur and the Scream guy.
DeleteI took the 63 bus home and crossed the bridge…not that ambitious to walk home 😊
I love Degas and that shot of ND looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteND? Oh Notre Dame! Yes, still amazing !!
ReplyDeleteAll the best with the dancers!! Thanks for the home visit to Musee d’Orsay, no lining up for us and a bonus night time view of Norte Dame.
ReplyDeleteThis post made my day!! The Musée d'Orsay was a most amazing experience. It was over twenty years ago and it still gives me chills!! After working in Curatorial for 13 years at the Norton Museum in WPB I fell in love with the Impressionists
ReplyDeletein particular Monet...... when I walked into the Musée d'Orsay I broke down in tears.... it was magic.... I stayed at the Hotel d'Orsay for a week with my little dog and it truly was a dream!!
Thank you, Carol for bringing back such beautiful memories in your posts always!!