Building next to the Musée d'Orsay. Orsay Museum in Paris - masterpieces of impressionism in the station building

The Musée d'Orsay houses works of painting and sculpture from the second half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. During this time, painting has experienced more than one bright revolution in styles and directions. Perhaps they were a reflection of the dramatic social and political changes of those times.

As a result, the paintings of the romantic Delacroix “fit” into this short period. Realist Courbet. Revolutionaries. Those who followed them (Cezanne, ) and neo-impressionism (Signac). And at the very beginning of the 20th century, symbolism had already flourished in painting (Puvis de Chavannes, ).

By the way, I was lucky that I came to this museum in 2012, since until 2011 it was closed for reconstruction.

It is noteworthy that the museum earned most of the money for the reconstruction itself. Due to the small budget for renovations, the director of the museum had the idea to organize traveling exhibitions of 200 masterpieces. This more than paid for all the reconstruction costs.

I visited this museum for the impressionist works. Here are just 7 masterpieces of the most prominent representatives of this movement, which are stored in the museum:

1.Edouard Manet. Woman with fans. 1873

In the painting she depicted her sister Edma and her daughter. The plot evokes very pleasant feelings, because the girl watches her child so warmly and caringly.

By the way, Morisot never managed to sell this painting during his lifetime. It remained in her sister's house until it was purchased in 1930.

It is noteworthy that these days Morisot was recognized as the most expensive artist - her work was sold in 2013 for $11 million!

4. Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Ball at the Moulin de la Galette. 1876

5. Frederic Basil. Pink dress. 1864

Basil’s painting “Pink Dress” was created when the artist was barely 20 years old. It is a pity that he died early, at the age of 29, having volunteered for the Franco-Prussian War. How much more beautiful works he created if he had lived a long life (there are now no more than 50 of his paintings in museums and private collections).

6. . Red roofs. 1877

Pissarro, like , loved to depict nature and city landscapes more. He also loved to create series of canvases (such as, for example).

Pissarro painted the painting “Red Roofs” side by side with his friend Paul Cézanne. They often worked side by side on the same landscape. Despite the close relationship between friends, the works turned out completely different. This speaks to the maturity and individual skill of each of them. Paul Cezanne. Orchard. 1877 Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg (Florida).

His painting “Red Roofs” is a work typical of Pissarro: unpretentious nature next to man. Beauty is in simplicity and ordinariness - that’s what I like about this artist.

ABOUT unusual life Read Pissarro's article.

7. . A boat during a flood in Port Marly. 1876

The main characters in many paintings

Where trains used to depart from, today world masterpieces of painting, sculpture and photography of the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries are stored. The Orsay Museum, also the Musée d'Orsay (French: Musée d'Orsay) is located in Paris on the left bank of the Seine and has three floors of unique collections, mainly impressionist and post-impressionist. It is like a link between the classical Louvre, the “golden” collection of the past and the modern museum contemporary art. The Orsay Museum in Paris attracts millions of tourists every year.

History of the museum

Orsay opened at the beginning of the last century. Back then, no one could even imagine that 100 years later, paintings by great masters would be stored in this building. Trains arrived here - Orsay opened in 1900 as a new railway station linking Orleans, Toulouse and other regions with the French capital. Through the smoke and soot of the trains, those arriving had a beautiful view of the center of Paris. Here, on the banks of the Seine, is famous Louvre. And the new station itself simply amazed the imagination - a dome made of glass, frescoes on the walls, technical innovations. Thus, Orsay, even before its transformation into a museum, went down in history as the first electrified railway station in the world. Escalators and elevators for visitors, almost 400 rooms for accommodation with the best restaurants. The heyday of Orsay did not last long - soon more convenient access roads to Paris appeared and the station first faded into the background, and in 1939 it closed completely. For many years, the Gare d'Orsay was first abandoned, and then completely in such disrepair that it became the backdrop for the depressing film “The Kafka Trial.” As a result, in 1971 it was decided to demolish the building. Fortunately, Georges Pompidou, then the President of France, intervened. They decided that there would be a museum here. Immediately after work began on the preparation and reconstruction of the building, in 1986 the Orsay railway station finally opened its doors as the Orsay Museum. The reconstruction took 6 years and 270 million dollars.

If you want to visit and have a good time, then you should definitely visit. From the article you will learn all about the attractions of the oldest quarter in France.

The life of any person is the sum of many patterns; the life of Honore de Balzac will be no exception; you will learn everything about his life and work.

Description of the museum

The Orsay Museum today has three tiers of collections of works by great masters of painting, sculpture, and photography. Everything here is dedicated to the era of the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries, up to 1915. main hall with a total area of ​​140 square meters, 32 meters high framed by an airy metal structure combined with a glass vault, today welcomes millions of visitors. On the ground floor you can see early works and works of sculptors. On the second floor are collections of popular art from the late 19th century and furniture from those times. Separately, the museum presents works by Damier, Rousseau, Corot, Millet, and Claude Monet. Here you can see works exclusively by French masters of impressionism and post-impressionism. All works are placed in chronological order, so that viewers can see and understand with their own eyes what the essence of the confrontation is. classical school painting of the second half of the 19th century and the new movement, the so-called “salon of the rejected” - the impressionists. Connoisseurs of oriental art will appreciate the Eastern Hall of the museum. The Orsay Museum today is not only the custodian of works of great artists and sculptors. Shadow theater performances, concerts, plays are regularly held here. round tables and conferences mainly devoted to the period of the second half of the 19th - the first decade of the 20th century.

Museum collection

The Orsay Museum has gathered under its vaults perhaps the largest collection of works by French impressionists and post-impressionists. 4000 exhibits, including many unique ones, provided by private collectors.
The first level of the museum introduces guests to French creativity from 1850-1870. IN big hall sculptures of the former station are on display. Art lovers should take a closer look at one of the works of Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux - the sculpture of Count Ugolino.

Information: Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux (1827-1875) is a famous French sculptor, author of several scandalous works. The sculpture of Count Ugolino was created by the master under the impression of reading “ Divine Comedy» Dante. One of the most terrible characters in the work is depicted in languid anticipation of the death of his children. Other scandalous work Carpeaux - a sculptural group “Dance”, decorates the façade of the Paris Opera building.

Also in the Orsay Museum in Paris, paintings by many famous artists, part of the halls on the first floor - from the fourth to the seventh - is given over to the works of realist artists. It was they who, in the second half of the 19th century, challenged the classical understanding visual arts and began to reflect real life in their canvases real world. Daumier, Corot, Millet, a separate room is dedicated to the work of Gustave Courbet.

Information: Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) is an outstanding French portrait and landscape painter, he is called the founder of realism in painting. Among others, such as “The Regatta at Arzateil”, “Women in the Garden”, the Orsay Museum presents one of the artist’s most famous works - “Funeral at Ornans”. In the artist’s room it is impossible to pass by his work “The Origin of the World,” which can still shock the viewer today.

One of the halls on the first level also displays the painting “Olympia” - one of early works Edouard Manet, one of the founders of impressionism. Written in 1863, it caused a wave of indignation among critics, it was considered obscene and provocative.

Reference: Edouard Manet (1832-1883) is a great French artist, whose talent was recognized only in the second half of his life. creative life. Manet's paintings were repeatedly ridiculed by the bohemians of Paris. One of his greatest works– “Breakfast on the Grass,” which caused a shock with its frivolity and, at that time, incredible shamelessness, was exhibited at the “Salon of the Rejected.” This is the name given to the alternative exhibition by artists whose works were not accepted for the official French exhibition. The most famous “Salon of the Rejected” took place in 1863. “Luncheon on the Grass” can also be seen today in the Orsay Museum.

Sculptures by Rodin, Bourdelle, and Maillol greet guests on the second floor of the former station. Among them, it is worth highlighting one of the works of Auguste Rodin - the statue “Balzac”.

The Orsay Museum in Paris is one of the ten most visited places in the French capital. Thousands of tourists come here every day to experience the atmosphere of the late 19th century and the anticipation of the First World War. Here you can see the paintings nearby recognized masters painting and unknown authors, discover the world of impressionism and realism. Connoisseurs of beauty are advised to spend the whole day at the Orsay Museum in Paris, enjoying the masterpieces of a collection that has no equal anywhere in the world.

Orsay Museum: video

Fans of painting, and especially lovers of impressionism, should definitely visit the Orsay Museum in Paris. The largest exhibition is located in a three-story building, which was once a railway station. The collection features paintings and sculptures by European masters from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, filling the gap in the history of painting between the Louvre and.

From the history of the founding of the Musee d'Orsay

On May 28, 1900, the world's first electrified railway station was opened on the left bank of the Seine, directly opposite. The architect of the project was Victor Lalu.

Trains departed from Orsay in the direction of Orleans, Toulouse and Bordeaux. For the convenience of passengers, a hotel with 370 rooms, restaurants and event halls was built in the station building. In 1939, the need for the Orsay station disappeared, as more convenient routes from other railway stations were launched.

In 1971, they decided to demolish the building, but Georges Pompidou, who at that time was the President of France, expressed the idea of ​​​​transforming the station into a museum. In 1978, the building was given the status of a historical monument, and already during the presidency of Giscard d'Estaing, the station began to be reconstructed, transforming it into a museum. The work was carried out over 6 years - from 1980 to 1986.

In 1986, the museum opened its doors to visitors. The huge building made it possible to accommodate a large number of exhibits that moved from other museums. Natural lighting for paintings and statues is provided by a chic glass dome. The architect of the museum project is Gae Aulenti.

Today, the Orsay Museum is visited by more than 3.5 million people. If you are going to be one of these visitors, be sure to book one of them - after all, this is where many of the most interesting attractions of the French capital are concentrated.

Collections of the Orsay Museum: what to see

Musee d'Orsay was replenished from the most various sources. Objects of art were brought here from the Louvre, Luxembourg Palace, Petit Palais, and the Jeu de Paume gallery. Some exhibits were donated to the museum by private collectors.

The gallery has three levels with a total area of ​​57,400 sq.m., all works are divided by theme and execution technique.

On the lower floor there are paintings painted between 1848 and 1870. Here you can see the works “Luncheon on the Grass” by E. Manet, “The Atelier” by Corot, “The Hunt for the Tiger” by Eugene Delacroix, “The Angel of the Lord” by Millet, “The Ironers” by Degas.

Paintings from left to right: Manet “Luncheon on the Grass”, E. Delacroix “Tiger Hunt”, Degas “The Ironers”

At the middle level there are sculptures - works from the time of the Third Empire. The 19th century was a very fruitful period for sculpture. The purpose of ordering their creation was to proclaim one’s status, decorate one’s home, and also to be able to write one’s ideals into bronze and stone. There was a huge demand for the creation of sculptures in those days. This can be seen precisely in the central nave of the Orsay Museum, where 1,200 exhibits are presented. Among them: " Bronze Age"Auguste Rodin, "The Little 14-Year-Old Dancer" by Edgar Degas, "Cara" by Aimé-Jules Dalou, "The Mediterranean" by Aristide Maillol.

The top floor is the realm of impressionism, expressionism and post-impressionism. Here you can admire the works of Rousseau (“The Snake Charmer”), Seurat (“Circus”), Van Gogh (“ Starlight Night over the Rhone”, “Portrait of Doctor Gachet”, “Self-Portrait”), Also presented here are paintings by Gauguin (“Self-Portrait with yellow Christ", "Tahitian Women"), Renoir ("Ball at the Moulin de la Galette"), C. Monet ("Tulips of Holland"), Pissarro (" old road from Annery to Pontoise. Frost") and others.

Vincent Van Gogh “Self-Portrait”, photo: Tatyana Gaiduk

IMPORTANT! If you would like to see the exhibition in chronological order, then be prepared to spend the whole day here, or even two days. If you are interested in specific paintings, then at the entrance you can buy a map with gallery numbers and detailed descriptions.

Infrastructure - where to eat and buy souvenirs

After viewing the masterpieces of the Orsay Museum, visitors can head to the Campana cafe, which is located on the upper tier. From here you have a stunning view of Montmartre.

One cannot ignore the Restaurant du Musee d'Orsay, founded back in 1900. The interior is decorated with frescoes and gilding, emphasizing historical value establishments. It serves traditional French dishes. According to reviews from tourists, prices here are somewhat high.

Another cozy place where you can spend time discussing what you saw is the L’Ours cafe.

There is also a souvenir shop on the territory of the museum, where you can buy stationery, postcards, figurines, books, reproductions of paintings, etc. as souvenirs. By the way, souvenirs can be purchased in the museum’s online store.

Helpful information

Official site: www.musee-orsay.fr.

Address: 62, rue de Lille, Paris.

How to get there

Metro: to Solferino station or to Assemblee Nationale.

By bus: 63, 68, 24, 69, 83, 73, 84, 94.

By city train RER (line C): Musée d'Orsay station.

Schedule

Ticket prices to the Orsay Museum

Regular ticket: € 12.

Special price:€ 9 (applies to people aged 18-25 years, non-EU citizens - daily; also at this price anyone can buy a ticket on Thursday after 18:00 and on any other working day after 16:30).

Free entry is provided:

• everyone every first Sunday of the month;
• children under 18 years of age;
• EU citizens and residents aged 18 to 25 years;
• people with disabilities;
• unemployed with the provision of the relevant document;
• holders of a Paris Museum Card.

You can buy tickets directly at the museum box office or online on the official website.

Orsay Museum on the map of Paris

Fans of painting, and especially lovers of impressionism, should definitely visit the Orsay Museum in Paris. The largest exhibition is located in a three-story building, which was once a railway station. The collection features paintings and sculptures by European masters from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, filling the gap in the history of painting between the Louvre and

The Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay) is a building built in late XIX century, combining the features of classicism and industrial style. This is one of the most popular tourist spots in Paris. The unique collections of fine art presented in the museum are seamlessly integrated into the airy glass and steel interiors, which in themselves are of historical interest.

Originally there was the Orsay station, which, like Eiffel Tower, was built for the famous World Exhibition held in Paris in 1900. For a long time it served train traffic in the Paris-Orleans direction. But over the years, with the increase in the length of passenger trains, the station no longer met the technical requirements, and it had to be content with the modest function of receiving and sending commuter trains.

• (price: 62.50 €, 3 hours)

By 1971, the station had become so dilapidated that it stopped serving train traffic altogether. For some time it served as a venue for theatrical performances, and auction houses were located in its many premises. In the end, the government raised the issue of demolishing the unique building. This caused such a violent negative reaction in society that eventually (in 1977) a decision was made to reconstruct the station to house museum collections. The building was even given the status of a historical monument.

Work on the restoration of the station began in 1980. They were led by the Italian architect Gae Aulenti, known for several of her projects for the reconstruction of museum premises (including the Georges Pompidou Cultural Center).

In 1986, with the participation of President Francois Mitterrand, the opening of the Orsay Museum took place. Its unique collection consists of exhibits from various European museums. Unlike the Louvre (which exhibits mainly ancient and medieval artifacts) and the Pompidou Center (which focuses on contemporary art), the Musée d'Orsay exhibits art dating from the mid-19th century to 1915.

The exhibition of the Orsay Museum is divided into 6 thematic areas - a collection of paintings; collection of sculptures; collection of decorative and applied arts; collection of graphics; architecture. Rows sculptural compositions built under the glass vault of the station roof, like those stretching into the distance railway tracks. The space of small halls on the sides of the main gallery is reserved for works of painting. Of greatest interest among other objects of the museum is the collection of paintings by impressionist artists, which includes the most famous works the best masters this current.

A more or less detailed inspection of the Orsay exhibition will take you a full day, so in addition to spiritual food, here you can taste French cuisine - in the restaurant hall on the middle level, or in the cafe on the top floor. The restaurant will amaze you with the luxury of gilding, and the cafe with a terrace will have a beautiful view of Montmartre through the huge dial of the station clock.

The history of the Orsay Museum's painting collection began in the Luxembourg Palace, where in 1818 Louis XVIII founded a gallery of works by contemporary artists, the most successful of which moved over time to the Louvre. However, designed to reflect modern tendencies, The Luxembourg Palace remained closed to the latest experimental movements in art until the 80s of the 19th century. In addition, by the end of the 19th century, the salon system made painting too dependent on the opinions of critics and art dealers, so the art market in France for a long time remained conservative.

Only in 1890 was it added to the collection Luxembourg Museum"Olympia" by Edouard Manet entered. After this, the famous collector Caillebotte bequeathed to the French government a collection of 60 paintings by Renoir, Monet, Degas, Cezanne and other representatives of the impressionist school. However, the Academy fine arts at that time, preference was still given to artists of the academic movement, and Caillebotte’s collection was initially rejected altogether, and a few years later, only a little more than half of it was able to be exhibited at the Luxembourg Museum.

In subsequent years, the state became more loyal to modern trends in painting, and at the beginning of the twentieth century, the collection of impressionists in the Luxembourg Palace increased due to donations from private collectors. Including, the museum’s exhibition included such masterpieces as “Luncheon on the Grass” by Edouard Manet, and four canvases from a series of views of the Rouen Cathedral by Claude Monet. And by the end XIX century the collection is expanding due to works foreign artists, such as Winslow Homer and James Whistler. The foreign collection soon reached such a size that it was separated into a separate museum, the Jeu de Paum.

In 1929, the collection of impressionism was transferred to the Louvre, and in 1947, during the reorganization of the Louvre exhibition, it moved to the Jeu de Paum, already including works by Boudin, Seurat, Toulouse-Lautrec and Henri Rousseau. IN post-war years the collection began to grow rapidly due to paintings donated to the museum by artists. Soon the Jeu de Paum became too small for impressionism. At the same time, the Pompidou Center for Contemporary Art faced the same problem, which did not have enough space to exhibit the collections of paintings from the Pont-Aven school, post-impressionism and art group Nabi.

This problem was resolved after the decision was made to reconstruct the Orsay station. Thus, the initial collection of paintings of the Orsay Museum was compiled, which was supplemented by part of the Louvre exhibition dating back to the second half of the 19th - early 20th centuries. Also, works from the late romanticism and eclectic styles, which were distributed throughout France after the closure of the Luxembourg Palace museum, were returned to the Orsay Museum. The rules for accepting gifts from the Orsay Museum exempted donors from inheritance tax, and thanks to this, the collection was replenished with masterpieces by such artists as Blanchet, Cezanne, Matisse, Redon, and Renoir. The collection of foreign paintings includes works by Klimt, Giacometti, Munch and others.
Today, the exhibition of the Orsay Museum continues to expand and be supplemented. In 2014, the amount that was spent on the purchase of paintings was $20 million.

History of the sculpture collection

The 19th century was the heyday of the art of sculpture. The triumphant middle class brought fashion to this art form. The presence of sculptural compositions in private houses determined the status and position of the owners. Art that could allegorically capture in stone or bronze the ideals, beliefs and ideas of the time was in great demand. However, after 1945, professional criticism and the cultural community exposed the sculptural traditions of the bygone era as being excessively pathetic. After this, most of the works were sent to storage rooms, where they spent the next few decades.

The idea of ​​converting the Gare d'Orsay into a museum gave the general public the opportunity to once again enjoy the splendor of 19th-century sculpture. Excellent conditions were created here for exhibiting monumental compositions - the spacious central hall, with its glass roof giving the works natural light that changes depending on the time of day. By the time the museum opened, its sculptural collection consisted of 1,200 exhibits, mostly taken from the storerooms of the Luxembourg Palace and the Louvre.

The collection of the Luxembourg Palace Museum, focused mainly on painting, gave sculpture a secondary place. In the middle of the 19th century there were only 25 sculptural works. By 1887, the Luxembourg Palace already owned a collection of 100 sculptures, and gradually began to open its doors to the works of contemporary artists. After much hesitation by the artistic council, the exhibition includes the sculptures “Bronze Age” by Rodin, “The Warrior” by Daumier and a bust of Beethoven by Bourdelle. The rapid increase in the collection created problems with their placement - and by the end of the 19th century, a restriction was introduced that did not allow more than three works by one sculptor to be exhibited. For a long time, works by foreign masters were practically not represented in the museum. In 1890, only two works by the Belgian sculptor Constantin Meunier were acquired.
Some of the collection was transferred to the Jeu de Paum Museum, but there was also no decent place for the collection of sculptures. Since the museum was focused on impressionism, its collection was limited to statues by Rodin, “The Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer” by Degas, and several sculptural works by Gauguin.

In 1939, after the closure of the Luxembourg Palace Museum, its collection was dispersed throughout different cities. Some of it moved to the Louvre, but only a few sculptors took a worthy place in its exhibition - works by Bari, Rode, Carpeaux were exhibited in the main exhibition, while most sculptures XIX centuries it was in reserve for a long time.

The Orsay Museum not only revealed to the world works that had been gathering dust in storage. Through exchanges or acquisitions, its exhibition was replenished with sculptural masterpieces that had previously been exhibited in other museums, or decorated gardens and palaces (for example, “The Gates of Hell” by Rodin and less famous works D'Angers, Schonferg, Jerome, Claudel and other sculptors). Currently, the sculpture collection of the Orsay Museum includes about 2,200 exhibits.

History of the decorative and applied arts collection

The question of the feasibility of expanding the department of decorative and applied arts of the Louvre was raised at the end of the 19th century, when it became clear that main museum The country does not have the necessary space, funds and resources to maintain a collection of this type of creativity. The answer to this question came only a hundred years later, after the opening of the Orsay Museum, which became a logical continuation of the exhibition of the Louvre, the department of decorative and applied arts of which ceased to be replenished during the reign of Louis Philippe. Orsay has incorporated the most valuable works, starting from the second half of the 19th century century.

However, household items collected from various national museums made up such a modest collection that to allocate it to a separate department of the museum required painstaking work to increase the number of exhibits. Interior items from imperial palaces or government departments were either destroyed during the fighting and fires of the Paris Commune, or their transfer to the museum was not welcomed. It took several years to inventory the objects of decorative and applied art that belonged to the state, acquire them, and form a collection, the core of which was exhibits from the Luxembourg Palace and the Louvre.

Decorative and applied arts in the collection of the Luxembourg Palace were represented by a small amount of earthenware and several tapestries. But in last years In the 19th century, artistic household objects and furniture became items for salon sales. After this, the palace organized decorative and applied arts into a separate collection, but negligible funds were allocated to replenish it.

The opening of the Orsay Museum provided an opportunity to bring together exhibits from different national museums, combining them with objects from government departments. Objects from the Louvre, the Fontainebleau Gardens Museum, and the Cluny Museum stood side by side with examples of decorative and applied art donated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Furniture by Dil, wood carvings by the Gere brothers, and bronze jewelry by the sculptor Bari are some of the most striking exhibits in the collection. The most valuable example of the Art Nouveau style in it is a wooden set made by Jean Dampt for the Countess of Béarn at the beginning of the 20th century.

After its opening, the museum added 800 objects to its exhibition - plaster models and casting molds from Carl Bugatti, as well as interior items from private collections. Works by Hoffmann and Van de Velde, Halle and Wallen, Guimard and other remarkable masters organically filled the gaps in the collection. These are objects made of glass, various metals, wood and ceramics, both handmade and factory-made, as well as jewelry. Thanks to donations from the patrons of the Orsay Museum - private collectors, philanthropists, heirs - the collection includes stained glass windows by Toulouse-Lautrec, jewelry by Guimard and furniture by Mackintosh.

Currently, the Orsay Museum's collection of decorative and applied arts continues to grow both through donations and through the acquisition of unique items, including works by contemporary artists.

History of the art photography collection

Orsay was the first French museum to create and present to the public a collection of photographs - and thus significantly enriched artistic heritage France.

The museum curators faced a difficult task - to assemble from scratch a collection dedicated to art that had not previously been exhibited in any of the art museums countries. The bulk of the collection consists of works dating from the first introduction of photographic technology by physicist Louis François Arago to scientific conference in Paris in 1839, and before the beginning of the tradition of modern photography, which began in 1918.

The collection pursued several goals, the first of which was to demonstrate the development of the art of photography, through the prism technical progress. During the period under review, photographic technology went through a number of significant stages - from the first daguerreotype cameras, which were bulky, difficult to handle and required long posing, to small, convenient “instant” cameras of the late twentieth century. In addition to presenting unique prints and negatives, the exhibition demonstrated the ways in which photographic art was spread in different countries the world, starting from the very first English and French experiences.

The first acquisition of the collection was an album from the “primitive” period of English and French photography (from 1839 to 1863). This album, collected by photographer Louis Alphonse de Brébisson, consisted of four dozen works by various photographers of that time - for example, two unique photographs by one of the first photographers of France, Gustave Le Gray: “Brig in the Moonlight” and “View of the Mossac Monastery”.

Many unique photographs were transferred to the museum by the families of photographers - thus, by the will of the heirs, the collection was replenished with works by Charles Negro, landscape and genre photographs by Henri Rivière. Other families followed suit famous photographers. A number of works were acquired by the museum at open auctions. In 1982, the Musée d'Orsay was given 250 negatives from their Department of Cultural Heritage archive. And in 1983, the museum accepted a donation of a collection of rare negatives by Edward Baldus, which included a report on the redirection of the Rhone floods under Napoleon III. In the same year, the collection included photo reports of the first ethnographic expeditions. This is far from full list unique negatives, prints and photo glasses donated to the museum.

At the time of the opening of the Orsay Museum, its collection of photographs numbered about 12,000 exhibits. On currently their number has risen to 45,000. The museum's latest acquisitions include two works by Ferdinand Knopf; the Louvre has donated a large series of views of Spain by Jean Laurent, three daguerreotypes by Adolphe Humbert de Molard, and six prints by Roger Fenton.

The collection of art photography of the Orsay Museum remains relevant to this day. Work to update it is ongoing, and we can say that it is not inferior in size and importance to other museum collections.

History of the graphics collection

The collection of graphics of the Orsay Museum was originally and for a long time remained the property of the Louvre, transferred for temporary exhibition. Only 70 of the presented drawings were part of the permanent museum collection. Works by artists born between 1820 and 1870 were presented here, with a few exceptions. For example, of Matisse’s drawings (suitable for the exhibition based on his year of birth, but not stylistically appropriate), only one was included in the collection – “Luxury, Peace and Pleasure.” And those born before 1820, Honoré Damier, Gustav Courbet and François Bonvin, were well represented.

Thus, the collection of graphics covered the period from the mid-twentieth century to beginning of the XXI centuries The basis for this part of the exhibition was a collection of graphics that moved to the Louvre from the Luxembourg Palace Museum after its closure. This collection was founded in 1818, but until the early 80s of the 19th century it was replenished rather sluggishly. Only towards the end of the century did the Luxembourg Palace attempt to present an objective overview of contemporary art, and in particular graphics. The collection was replenished at salon sales and auctions. Based on state subsidies, the museum received collections of works by Henri Renaud, Jean-François Millet, Edgar Degas and other artists.

Also, the Luxembourg Palace Museum exhibited sketches, drawings and other documents, which were the creative stage in the creation of sculptures and paintings presented in the museum. This exhibition included, in particular, sketches by Rodin.

Drawings by foreign artists were presented very sparingly, and subsequently went on display at the Jeu de Paum Museum.

According to the rules of the exhibition of the Luxembourg Palace, 10 years after the artist’s death, his best works were sent to the Louvre collection. Many graphic drawings left the palace in this way in 1929, 1930 and 1931. And after the closure of the Luxembourg Museum in 1937, its collection of graphics moved to National Museum modern art, which was located in the Tokyo Palace, built for the World Exhibition. While there, it was supplemented with works by the Nabi group, as well as watercolors and Post-Impressionist drawings. The collection of drawings by foreign artists has grown significantly.

After the opening of the new Museum of Modern Art at the Georges Pompidou Cultural Center, all works by artists born before 1870 were transferred from the Tokyo Palace to the graphic arts department of the Louvre - from where they subsequently moved to the Orsay Museum.
Currently, the Orsay Museum's graphic collection, supplemented by later acquisitions, numbers more than 80,000 drawings. It includes such masterpieces as “Black Bow” by Georges Seurat, a portrait of Manet by Edgar Degas, a self-portrait of Gustav Courbet, drawings in the genre of political caricature, and much more. The collection continues to be supplemented and expanded, with the goal of reflecting the most full picture history of graphic art of the second half of the 19th century.

History of the architecture collection

Architecture is an art form that, paradoxically, is rarely represented in museum collections, although, as you can see by visiting the Orsay Museum, it very organically complements the overall exhibition. The main goal of this section is to show the diversity and richness of the architectural traditions of the 19th century.

The Orsay Museum building itself is an excellent example of the adaptation of urban architecture of the last century to the modern urban realities of the metropolis. Demonstrating the dynamics of the transformation of Paris into a modern capital under Napoleon III and Prefect Haussmann proved too difficult a task - so the emphasis of the museum's architectural collection is on the most iconic buildings of the era in question, such as the new Paris Opera. Its building was built in the period 1863 – 1875. designed by the architect Charles Garnier, and rendered big influence on the development of European architecture.

One part of the collection consists of architectural drawings and plans, with a total of about 18,000 exhibits. Some of them were transferred to the Orsay Museum by the graphic department of the Louvre, and included works by such outstanding masters XIX century, like Victor Baltard, Felix Duban, Charles Garnier. Over the course of several years, the collection was replenished with drawings by Eiffel, Varcollier, Boyle and other great architects. The bulk of the exhibits were donated by descendants.

The second part of the exhibition presents to the public architectural projects and models, which include a number of reconstructions of ancient, medieval and Renaissance buildings, based on painstaking processing of archaeological data and historical documents. Here you can clearly see the influence that architecture has had different eras on the architecture of the 19th century, when the country was gripped by a “construction fever.” In this period social change and technical innovations, theaters, train stations, churches, factories, markets are designed, built and reconstructed, educational establishments(one of the most representative objects of the collection is the reconstruction project of the Sorbonne by Alphonse Defrasse). Construction exhibitions and fairs gave the architects of that time the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their achievements to the general public, which led to the rise of the art of architecture. The collection of the Orsay Museum testifies to this brilliant period.

The third section of the exhibition is dedicated to Art Nouveau (Art Nouveau style). This trend arose in the last thirds of the XIX century. It asserted new ideas and liberation from the “painful legacy of past years.” The works of the most prominent architects of this style, such as Emile Galle and Hector Guimard, are widely represented in the museum thanks to collections that were carefully preserved and put on display by their heirs.
Currently, the museum is constantly updating its architecture collection with new exhibits. The last major acquisition was made in 1997, when its exhibition was replenished with a set of drawings and drawings by Belgian architects of the Otto Wagner school.

Finally…

The unique Orsay collection, as well as the unconventional architecture of the building, make it one of the most interesting places in Paris. The average attendance of the museum is 3,000,000 visitors per year. These are not only tourists, but also Parisians. One of the alternative activities here is educational programs for children and youth, addressed to different age categories.

Except permanent exhibition, the Orsay Museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions dedicated to the most various topics. You can follow their schedule on the museum’s website. By purchasing a ticket, you get the right to view both permanent and temporary exhibitions. Children under 18 years of age are admitted free of charge (upon presentation of documents).

The museum's gift shop offers a wide range of different products - from posters, books and CDs to art objects (paintings, sculptures and jewelry). There is also a fairly extensive range of museum-themed products for children.

How to get there

Musee d'Orsay– famous museum, located on the left bank of the Seine. It is a treasure trove of art collections, controversial sculptures, architectural models and unique pieces of furniture.

Today it is certainly visited by guests of the French capital who are interested in culture. It is one of the most unusual and entertaining museums in the world. His popularity was brought to him by collections of works by such masters as Cezanne, Degas, and Monet.

History of the Orsay Museum

In 1900, a railway station was built, the opening of which was timed to coincide with the World Exhibition. It served the southwestern region of France until 1939. In the future, it was this building that became the home of the museum.

When the station's platforms became too small for extended trains, it was used to handle smaller trains. During the Second World War, separate rooms were occupied by postal services.

After this, the station served as a home for theater group Renaud-Barrault. Auction houses were located on its territory, and the Hotel Drouot, which was open until January 1, 1973, was restored.

The main hall of the museum is striking in its scale: its length is 140 meters and its height is 32 meters.

In 1977, the government decided to allocate the territory of the station building, which had lost its former luster, for a museum. The reconstruction took about 10 years, and on December 1, 1986, an opening ceremony was held with the participation of the head of France, Francois Mitterrand.

More than just collections

Orsay Museum in Paris – unique place, within the walls of which collections of different parts France and the whole world. There are more than 4 thousand pieces of art on three floors. Masterpieces of outstanding creators and paintings by almost unknown authors create a unique atmosphere.

The first level welcomes sculptures by masters Henri Rousseau, Edouard Manet and others. One of the rooms is dedicated to the works of Claude Monet. It's here famous works"Olympia", "Regatta in Arzhatey". Another part is dedicated to Gustave Courbet, the founder of realism.

The second level pleases with paintings by representatives of symbolism and naturalism and masterpieces of such sculptors as Rodin, Maillol, Bourdelle. Here it is worth paying attention to the defunct work of Auguste Rodin “Balzac” and the statue of the dancer Degas.

Painting Museum d'Orsay continue the work of Bonnard and Vuillard, hidden from view by a huge sculpture " Polar bear» the work of the master Pompon. The collection ends with a number of Symbolist works, including Klimt and Munch.

The third floor is a paradise for connoisseurs of art and beauty. Here you can fully enjoy the works of Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh and others.

The pearl of the collection, which everyone without exception wants to see, is “Starry Night over the Rhone” by Van Gogh. This painting attracts a large number of visitors.

On the site of the museum, even before the station building appeared, there was an ancient palace with the same name. It was subsequently destroyed.

It is impossible to ignore the work of Edouard Manet - “Luncheon on the Grass”. One can only imagine how shocked the representatives of the 19th century beau monde were when they saw a naked lady in the company of dressed gentlemen.

On the first level of the terrace running along the Seine, there is a sculptural group filled with tragedy “ Mature age", the author of which was Camille Claudel, a student and lover of Auguste Rodin. She was created during the period when Rodin left her for his former lover.

How to get there

If you travel around the city by metro, the nearest station is Solférino on the M12 line. For those visiting Paris for the first time, the main clue is the Boulevard Saint-Germain, in the western area of ​​which the object is located.

You can also get there by buses: 24, 63, 68, 73, 83, 84, 94.

Price entrance ticket– 12 EUR. Admission is free for minors and accompanied disabled people.

The museum operates according to the following schedule: Monday - closed, Sunday - 9:00-18:00, Thursday - 10:00-21:45, other days - 10:00-18:00.

You can use the services of a guide and book a full excursion. Typically the tour lasts about 2-2.5 hours. The average cost is 150-170 EUR.

By the way, in order to find out about current events and exhibitions, as well as see the available collections, you can visit official website of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris– www.musee-orsay.fr .

Works in the Orsay Museum

Eugène Delacroix, The Lion Hunt, c. 1854

Gustave Courbet, The Artist's Studio (L'Atelier du peintre): A Real Allegory of a Seven Year Phase in my Artistic and Moral Life, 1855

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, The Source, 1856

Jean-François Millet, The Gleaners, 1857

Édouard Manet, Olympia, 1863

Claude Monet, Le déjeuner sur l "herbe, (right section), with Gustave Courbet, 1865-1866

Paul Cézanne, Portrait of Achille Emperaire, 1868

Eugene Boudin, Bathers on the Beach at Trouville, 1869

James McNeill Whistler, Whistler's Mother, 1871

“The Origin of the World” (French l "Origine du monde, 1866) is a painting by realist artist Gustave Courbet, which for a long time was perceived as an artistic provocation and was not exhibited for more than 120 years.

Gustave Caillebotte, Les raboteurs de parquet (The Floor Scrapers), 1875

Edgar Degas, L'Absinthe, 1876

Self-portrait (1889) by Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh, The Church at Auvers, 1890

Paul Gauguin, Tahitian Women on the Beach, 1891