Paris Portfolio: Le Orangerie- “The only must-see museum in Paris.”

The title quote might enrage some art lovers. But Woody Allen proclaimed it on first seeing Paris’s Musee de l’Orangerie in 2008. Allen’s quip is debatable, but the glory of this museum almost makes it true… especially if you love the French Impressionists and Post Impressionists.

The Orangerie is small… has a very human scale… but is nonetheless bursting with riches. It is (first and foremost) the best place in the world to see Claude Monet’s “Waterlily” paintings (Nympheas). But, it also houses the marvelous Walter-Guillaume collection of Impressionist and Post Impressionist paintings… perhaps the greatest private collection ever assembled. Because of just these two collections, Parisians take justifiable pride in calling the Orangerie their “Sistine Chapel of Impressionism.”

Getting Past the Louvre

Despite these riches, the Orangerie is still somewhat overshadowed by the nearby Louvre… and is often overlooked by visitors. But if you love (or haven’t yet seen) Monet’s “Waterlilies,” you must get past the Louvre and visit the Orangerie.

And that’s easily done. From the Louvre, simply walk west past the large ceremonial arch in the Jardin du Carrousel … through the Tuileries Garden…to the central fountain (which may or may not be operating)…and then, sit. Yes, try one of the famous metal garden chairs positioned around the fountain. They are among the most comfortable chairs (of any kind) that I’ve ever tried. In warm weather, Parisians fight over them. So rest awhile in one (if you can), and then continue walking west toward the Seine.

You’ll soon reach a long boxy building on your left. You are facing the back of the Orangerie, and need to go around to its more impressive front. On the way, you’ll get an extra treat: Four large Rodin sculptures dot the museum’s grassy terrace: Le Baiser (1881–1898), Eve (1881), La Grande Ombre (1880), and La Meditation avec bras (1881–1905).

A Brief History of the Building

The original Orangerie was erected in 1852 as a place to shelter fruit trees during cold Paris winters. Then, during France’s “Third Republic” (1870-1940), the building was both a military warehouse and a venue for exhibitions and events.

In 1918, Claude Monet donated two Waterlily paintings to France, and began planning to exhibit “a grand series" of them in the Orangerie (culled from the nearly 250 that he painted during the last 30 years of his life). His key staging requirement was that they receive natural “living” light.

This began to become an issue around 1957, when the Walter-Guillaume collection was also donated to France… to be housed in the Orangerie as well. The new floor that was built for this collection cut off the Waterlilies' light. So a major modernization and renovation was planned during the 1990s and executed between 2000 and 2006.

During the renovations, the paintings could not be moved. Instead, they were packed inside reinforced, alarmed boxes to protect them from heat, dust, water, and vibration. And yet, despite these measures, vibrations reportedly “sent the waterlilies screaming, and the workers had to drop tools," according to project architect Olivier Brochet. All turned out well, though, and Monet’s “Waterlilies” are now once again basking in diffused natural light.

Sit Quietly Among the Lilypads

The “Waterlilies” are hung in eight “compositions” of twenty-two panels in two huge oval rooms. The largest of the compositions are more than 6 feet tall by 40 feet long… so long, in fact, that they curve to follow the room walls. And if lined up end to end, they would stretch nearly 300 feet.

They include Monet’s very last paintings too… from a period of failing eyesight… and the effects of his cataracts are easy to see. But they don’t diminish the beauty of these works. In fact, his final Waterlilies are, to me, colorfully, gloriously modern.

In the center of each room, equally oversized padded benches offer plenty of seating for introspective viewers. Monet wanted people to sit here… to stare into the giant paintings and be transported back to his Giverny gardens. In his own words, he wanted the paintings “to be a haven for peaceful meditation…a gift to overworked nerves.” And he succeeded… Words fail to describe the experience and the hushed quiet in these rooms. The paintings themselves almost demand our silence. Sadly, Monet died but a few months before the exhibit opened in 1927… and never saw the completed installation.

An Artistic Love Triangle

Then go see the great Walter-Guillaume collection…an artistic love affair (if you will) of three people:

• The influential Parisian art dealer Paul Guillaume… who began the collection.
• His wife Juliette Lacaze (also known as “Domenica”)… who, amazingly, culled the final “smaller” collection that we see today.
• Architect Jean Walter, who married Lucaze after Guillaume’s death in 1934, and with her, continued to build the collection.

All three loved the 19^th- and 20^th-century artists that many of their contemporaries ignored. “Collect what you love,” people say… and boy did they ever! The exhibit includes works by Renoir, Cezanne, Rousseau, Modigliani, Laurencin, Matisse, Picasso, Derain, Utrillo, and one of our favorites, Chaim Soutine. Also on display are fascinating (and realistic) maquettes (models) of Guillaume’s apartment where these works originally hung.

How big is this collection? Well just before his death, Guillaume considered donating its nearly 150 pieces to the Louvre… but they didn’t have room. So the collection went to the Orangerie after Domenica’s death in 1977… and the exhibit opened to the public in 1984.

Yes, when you come to Paris, definitely see the Louvre…a museum that could easily require weeks to completely cover. But don’t forget the Orangerie, which can be seen in only an hour if you wish. But like us, most people stay much longer than that… staring into Monet’s hypnotic lily-covered pools and viewing perhaps the finest private collection of Impressionist and later paintings anywhere on the planet.

• Coming from the U.S. (where photography is still prohibited in many museums), I was stunned to find that every museum we visited in Paris permitted non-flash photography. Even the Louvre! Well, there was one exception. The Grand Palais in the 8^th arrondissement doesn’t allow photos. But as far as I know, photography is permitted everywhere else.

• If many museums are on your itinerary, a multi-day pass may be worth buying. Our 6-day museum passes cost 64 euros (about $100 US) each… but they still saved us money. They also saved us from wasting valuable vacation time in ticket lines, and made it cost-effective to pop in and out of places like Napoleon’s Tomb at Les Invalides (which we quickly dashed in to see on our way to the Musée Rodin). You can buy the passes at most museums.

• Definitely buy the “Orangerie Museum Visit Guide.” At only 8.5 euros when we were there (about $12 US), it’s an informative, beautifully illustrated bargain.

• For a real museum fix, plan a long day in the area. See the Louvre's "Top-10" attractions (using Rick Steves' wonderful walking route), then hit the Orangerie, and finally cross the Seine to end the day in the Musee d'Orsay (expand the map below). Or give your feet a break and do only one museum per day... they're a powerful triad of French artistry!

The Orangerie is on the Seine near the Place de la Concorde and the Concorde Metro station.

Some Orangerie videos: YouTube

Le Musee de l’Orangerie: Official site, in French

Le Musee de l’Orangerie: Discover France site

Tuileries Garden: Wikipedia page

Tuileries Palace: Wikipedia page