When I was in High School, I took an art class, and that class was my first introduction to the Impressionists.
I loved how they played with light and paint, and how they captured a moment so beautifully.
Degas was my favorite. He created works no one had painted before–moments that most people would consider insignificant–but yet held unspeakable beauty.
So, it’s hardly a surprise that at the very top of my “must do” list while I was in Paris was to visit the Musee D’Orsay. The D’Orsay is home to the largest collection of French Impressionist works in the world, and is housed in a beautiful old train station in Paris.
Don’t get me wrong–I loved seeing the art works that I’d looked at in photos my whole life in real life. It was an amazing experience. But I was as in love with the architecture and the building as I was with the work it housed.
Just prior to going to Paris, I visited our very own Vancouver Art Gallery for a little taste of what was to come in Paris. The Monet’s Secret Garden exhibit is on there until October 1, and it’s really worth taking in. These are Monet’s last paintings, and many of them are painted at the end of his life, when he could barely see. They are lovely. I especially loved “Les Roses,” thought to be Monet’s last painting. You can walk right up to it and look at the brush strokes.
I loved the D’Orsay, and highly recommend you visit it if you are in Paris. But if you can’t make it there, check out the VAG before October 1.
Oh–and one last thing–while you’re there, be sure to stay and have a glass of prosecco on the patio at the VAG Cafe. It’s the closest you can come to feeling like you’re in Paris, while still being in Vancouver.