MUSEE D'ORSAY:
today we began our tour of the museum that houses most of the impressionistic paintings (late 1800s-early 1900's) and sculptures and artwork. i have been extremely excited about this museum because i've known that i would be seeing some of my favorites (VanGogh, Monet, etc.) i have several friends who have already been to Paris and have had the opportunity to experience this museum, and they have told me that i had to go for myself(being that my oil landscape style is influenced by many of the impressionistic masters). but honestly, there's nothing or noone who could've prepared me enough for what i was able to see today.
but i'm jumping ahead a bit. today was a lesson in patience. okay, so we walked along the River Seine from our hotel to get to the museum. then we stood in a very long snaking line outside to get inside and go thru a security checkpoint. this took quite awhile. then we stood in another line to purchase our tickets. after reading the map we decided to start viewing the museum from the top floor down (there are 3 main floors of rooms). so we climbed stairs and took several escalators to get to the top. then we began our meandering through room after room of beautiful and telling impressionistic paintings...some by Toulouse LaTrec, some by Renoir, Manet, Pisarro, Gaugin, Matisse, sculptures by Rodin & Claudel. We even came upon a lady with easle set up painting (like the guy we saw yesterday in the Louvre). And then the excitement began...
No...not the Van Gogh's & Monet's yet...
an alarm went off. a very loud alarm. then an announcement came over the PA system in French. then it was translated in English. everyone was to exit the entire building as shown by the security guards, due to some "technical difficulty". and then the alarm resumed. so thousands and thousands of people (including myself and my parents) were herded through rooms, down stairs, through more rooms, down more stairs...until we were all standing safely outside the building on the sidewalk. thousands of people. surprisingly enough (and with as many diverse cultures represented by the numerous visitors) no one panicked or pushed. once outside we waited in groupings. no one ever told us what had really was going on and why we had to exit. did someone try to steal a painting? was there a fire somewhere in the building? perhaps there was a bomb threat? no info. no police. no fire brigade. no bombsquad. moments later (after everyone was out and standing about) we were all told we could go back in...but we could only do this thru ONE door...around the side of the building (because the new visitors: people who had not paid for tickets yet: were using the main entrance). we all had to go thru security checks again. so this took forever with an even larger line snaking along. finally when we were back inside, we resumed our original plan and we headed back up all the stairs and escalators to get back to the rooms on the top floor where we left off. absolutely crazy! but thru it all, i could only laugh...hey, why not? none of the wait mattered... i'm in Paris! i'm blessed!
so once we got back to where we left off we continued on and you know what...the wait was worth it! there was an entire room of VanGogh's. there was an entire room of Monet's. there was an entire room of Cezanne's. there was an entire room of Degas. it just kept going...impressionistic master after impressionistic master. i was in impressionistic heaven!
there was one moment where all i could do was stand still in middle of the Monet room and stare with my mouth wide open. as i gazed upon one of his water lily paintings (next to his Giverny and also his bridge paintings) i was stuck in place. i couldn't move. there's no way i can describe how i felt at that moment. seeing the original paintings like that...it was breathtaking.
i have spent years studying them, painting them, adoring them...i had tears in my eyes. i was seeing originals...here in Paris...these painters had been here, lived here, hung out together here.
i did sit down and attempt a couple of sketches. but honestly, i was still so blown away that my hands wouldn't connect with my brain.
well, needless to say we're going to go back to the museum tomorrow to try and finish seeing what we can.
