Kate's Tripping: Monet, Manet, what are the odds?

I went to the Musée d’Orsay the other day. I decided the best way to start my art tour of Paris is by dipping my toe in the shallow end of the pool. Not that Orsay is shallow, but Impressionist work is easy to like and the collection is simply amazing. I remember loving Monet the last time I went. This time Renoir captured most of my attention. I just love the dewy sweetness with which he paints women. Because I’m in Paris for 6 weeks, I felt I had the time to slow down. I took notes. I studied dates. I learned first names. I’m sure most of you are familiar with a lot of the collection so rather than tell you what moved me, I will tell you what I learned.

First, the building that houses the Orsay collection is a converted rail station. It’s an amazing place to display art. The modern additions and renovations to the museum are well done and add to the dynamic rather than diminish it. The modern shapes accentuate the beauty of the old building and even older art. I was impressed.

Second, there is a restaurant in the museum. It is only open on Thursdays, and you know I planned accordingly. It was such a surprising find. The room was amazing, the food was spectacular. I had the fixed menu (it’s cheaper) of white fish in a béarnaise sauce with saffron sauce over vegetables and a glass of white wine. What can I say, but yum. I finished with floating islands and an espresso. I was intrigued by the floating islands, what are the islands and what are they floating in? Well, the islands are meringue and they float in a butter and egg yolk sauce with almond extract(custard before it gels). I loved the consistency, white fish in butter and egg yolks, then egg whites in butter and egg yolks.

The Restaurant

Third, Thursdays are also “field trip” day so be prepared. In the right mindset, children and teenagers enhance the experience by seeing the collection through their eyes. The seven year olds were running around completing some sort of worksheet/treasure hunt. Their enthusiasm was charming. The teenagers were huddled together barely acknowledging the art as they gossiped about who loves who. It was pretty cute, but after a while, I turned on my ipod…

Finally, the art. All these guys drastically changed their style around 1876. One day it was strong brush strokes filled with self importance, and the next it was fuzzy dots creating a serene landscape slightly blurred. The effect was intoxicating and created the most accessible art, even today. I mean, I would love to have attended the party depicted in Degas’ Le Souper au Bal. The change in style was such a 180, and they all followed suit. They all hung out together in the 1870’s and painted each other too. The painting of Berthe Morisot (a woman) by Edouard Manet is amazing. You can tell they were friends and he respected her. It’s in her expression. It must have been a heady time. All I can say is go, on Thursday, start on the 5th floor, have lunch in the restaurant, and don’t forget to look at the building.