Just saw the Renoir exhibit today - it was wonderful! But I almost missed the best paintings! When you enter the museum the Renoir exhibit is immediately to the right. No line , just walk right in. It is about Renoir as a draftsman and has interesting sketches of his work. We exited that exhibit and went up to the 5th floor to see the Impressionists paintings. While visiting and enjoying Monet, Degas, etc. we saw a sign saying Renoir paintings were downstairs.
There was another gallery full of Renoir paintings that we had missed! The best full color, full length paintings were to the right of the gallery with his drawings. Be sure to visit 2 galleries of Renoir paintings on the first floor of the D’Orsay!
Posted by
1866 posts
Some days you just have that kind of unexpected luck! When I leave the 5th floor, I can't imagine anything better...then you did!!
Bet it was fantastic!
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9455 posts
That’s wonderful. I love Renoir.
I visit the Orsay often (was just there).
One day, on the 5th floor, I walked into their largest gallery and straight ahead of me on the wall was Whistler‘s Mother.
I didn’t even know that painting was at the Orsay, it might’ve been on loan because I’ve never seen it before or since. It took my breath away and was such a thrill. The Orsay is my favorite museum in Paris, it is always a delight.
Fyi, it’s the Orsay, not the d’Orsay, unless you say the whole name Musée d’Orsay because d’ means “of” and you wouldn’t say the “of Orsay”, you either say the Orsay in French or English or you say the full name. It’s a mistake most posters here make.
Posted by
Paris 16ème (Auteuil)
1598 posts
Thanks for sharing. I actually just changed my membership to the Orsay as opposed to the Louvre (and I've been a member for years).
Posted by
Chicago
9690 posts
the main Renoir exhibit is the. paintings -- the drawings exhibit bit is the less visited -- you just tumbled in backwards. Glad you discovered it. I am not a big Renoir fan, but did enjoy this exhibit -- a lot of things we often don't see in Renoir's work.
Posted by
598 posts
Thank you. We will be visiting Musee D’Orsay on July 21. We miss out on the Renoir exhibit by just a couple days. When you mention walking into the current exhibit, then went up to 5th floor impressionist exhibit…came back to floor one…almost missing the other Renoir works. Was all that part of the current Renoir show…the area you nearly missed? I am assuming yes…but still curious. Glad you loved it!
Posted by
Chicago
9690 posts
The main Renoir show with borrowed works is to the left as you climb the stairs to the exhibit space on the main floor. The drawings exhibit, is I think from their own collections and is to the right in separate rooms. There was no line for that when we were there.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
17231 posts
“you just tumbled in backwards.”
The location of the temporary entrance for timed entry ticketholders funnels you in so you are at the far end of the museum. You are by the smaller exhibition rooms first. If you are coming in on the Orsay Carte Blanche pass you come in the old front entrance so you walk by the main exhibition area first. I’m so sorry you missed it! It is traveling, though. It goes to the National Gallery in London and the museum of Fine Art in Boston.
Posted by
3233 posts
Thank you Susan. Maybe it's a lost cause but it is indeed the Orsay Museum, no "d". On the museum's facade, there are two giant letters "M O", again no "d". Possibly there is a tiny "d'" somewhere. This error simply self perpetuates.
Maybe, just maybe we can get this corrected.
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9455 posts
Thank you Tocard. You are right, it does self perpetuate.
Posted by
USA
516 posts
We enjoyed this as well.
And right now Whistler's Mother is at the Tate Britain.