I decided to break out the "Wicked French," book my mom bought me with odd, funny, and even somewhat useful phrases in French. The title of this post means, "Hey! The line starts back there." I felt this was very appropriate as I went to the Musee Orsay with my Art History class today. I could tell by the crowds outside, and the high ratings of it in my guide books, that whatever art was inside, had to be good! I was very impressed by the Manet exhibit! I knew very little about Manet before this art history class and often confused his famous pieces as Monet's, but they are very very different.
Thus far, Musee d'Orsay has been my favorite museum by far. Impressionism paintings have a lot of hidden meanings and the artists are professionals at making their paintings look as if they were effortlessly thrown together. I've discovered that Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Van Gogh are now amongst my favorite artists. The sun-dappled fields and the crowded Parisian cafes, although realistic of the early 18th and 19th century, are ideal to me of what I am dreaming to experience here in Paris. The vast fields and picnicking with fine china, steaming silver tea pots, men in shiny top hats and women in full, flowy, dainty dresses and bonnets may be a little hard to reach other than the picnicking in the famous parks such as Luxembourg gardens, filled with screaming children and old men playing chess..
Some of my favorites from today's visit are below..
Edgar Degas - Danseuses Bleues
I absolutely love everything about Degas' ballerinas - the bright sapphire blue full tutus, the small arched feet, the overwhelming presence of grace in the picture, the blurriness, an undefined background other than large speckles of colors (could possibly be the set).
Manet - La Combat de Kearsarge et de L'Alabama
(The Battle of the 'Kearsarge' and the 'Alabama')
Manet - Clair de lune sur le port de Boulogne
Degas - La Repasseuse
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