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A relaxing spring break in Paris, it turned out, was not on the agenda. Scarcely had we disembarked from the train at the Gard Du Nord than we found ourselves in romantic Montmartre, original home of French artists. Unveiled before us were such gems as Au Lapin Agile (Picasso’s ‘hang out’) and the Bateau Lavoir where Picasso and Braque invented Cubism. Paris was, indeed, the ultimate in cultural retreats.
The ground floor of the Marmottan museum resembles something of an antique home, decked out with a strange array of rococo and relatively ordinary landscapes. Yet in the basement lies a wonderful collection of Monet paintings. Some of these works feature in the AS syllabus and it was a treat to see them for real and uncover their mysteries.
Even eating became a cultured experience when we were directed to Chartier, a French Brasserie that boasts aspects of Art Nouveau that swept parties at the turn of the last century.
Along the Haussmanian boulevards, we explored the churches of St Sulpice and Severin: their magnificence stands as testimony to the prevailing power of the Church in defining Parisian society. The frescos in St. Sulpice, designed by Delacroix, had us in awe. He was a leading Romantic painter who also features in the AS Art History course.
The Musee Gustave Moreau displayed an eclectic mix of paintings. Our visit enlightened us with respect to the symbolist’s background and thinking, giving us a context and new appreciation of his progressive styles.
Before arriving at the Musee D’Orsay, we had been briefed on the delights that lay within: even so, we felt unprepared for the illuminating array of sculptures and paintings that we beheld. We saw some of the most famous pieces in the history of art, the works of masters such as Van Gogh, Degas and Renoir. The only drawback was not having enough time to absorb it all: we sketched for hours, yet our curiosity remained unsatisfied; there was simply too much to enjoy!
As though the collection of Monet paintings in the Marmottan Museum had not been enough, we were then taken to the Orangerie to see yet more of the Impressionist’s’ masterpieces, including the Water Lilies series and celebrated works by Picasso and Rodin. To cap it all, the Louvre offers one of the most comprehensive and outstanding collections of art work in Europe.
Enjoying the beautiful weather on the way the Musee d’Art d’Modern, we passed such eminent landmarks as Perret’s revolutionary 19th century apartment block. The museum itself uncovered some of that modern art that is part of the History of Art syllabus in the Upper Sixth.
Within the Marais area, we relaxed in the Place des Vosges and explored at our leisure but none could resist the chance to also visit the Musee Picasso which represents the largest single collection of the artists’ works, spanning his whole career. 3,500 separate pieces included paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramic works and engravings. The museum building itself is reminiscent of the Paris of two hundred years ago and provides the perfect context for such masterpieces.
Enthusiasm brimming, our final call was to the Pompidou Centre, a building so unconventional it is hard to describe. For us, it was another brush with the unfamiliar, with contemporary and Cubist installations.
The snores that accompanied our Eurostar return to London paid testament to the efforts of our endeavours in Paris: art, architecture, sculpture, we had seen it all. A whistle stop tour it may have been, but it was also one that none of us will forget.
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