Hello again! Hot off the tail of Montmartre, I decided to tackle another long anticipated destination: the Musée d’Orsay. Sitting right opposite to the Louvre, I had long had this place on my radar.
My first impression of it when I got there was… certainly not what I expected. Unlike many other museums I’ve gone to while in Paris, who have elaborate exhibits that lead from room to room, the Musée d’Orsay is much more open, with a large glass ceiling that lets natural light filter through and hit many of the sculptures displayed in the center. This is due to the museum’s unique past. See, it wasn’t always a museum. Originally, it was a train station built for the purpose of serving the Exposition Universelle in 1900. Eventually, it fell into disuse, and right before it was set to be demolished, it was saved and converted into a museum in the 1980s.
The rich and fascinating history behind the museum is only matched by the beauty of its exhibits. I tackled the central hall first, which was dedicated to sculptures. Funnily enough, the first statue I laid my eyes on after I entered was the original, smaller version of the Statue of Liberty (before it was scaled up in the US). It almost felt like destiny at that moment. Another sculpture I enjoyed was the “Quatre Parties du Monde Soutenant la Sphère” (The Four Corners of the World Holding up the Sphere). It showcases the four major parts of the world, from Europe and Asia to Aftrica and the Americas all holding up a large sphere, symbolizing the world, on their shoulders. It was a very evocative piece that really struck a chord with me. On the sides of the main hall are also a bunch of paintings. My favorite was definitely La Divina Tragedia. It is an absolutely colossal painting, which depicts the Greek/Roman pantheon fighting against the forces of the Catholic faith. It symbolizes the end of polytheistic religion in Europe and the victory of Christianity over the dominant faiths of the ancient era.
The Musée d’Orsay was way bigger and had much more to offer than I expected. In about 5 hours, I estimate I only was able to see about half of the total exhibits. I didn’t even get the chance to see the Van Gogh exhibit! I will definitely be coming back for a second round, mark my words! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this post. Stay tuned for the next ones, since I’ve got something special planned!
