Musée d'Orsay: Discover the best of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art in Paris
- Saheli Chatterjee
- Mar 20
- 12 min read
Art enthusiasts from around the globe have a compelling reason to visit Paris. Whether you appreciate Realism or Impressionism, support the Arts, or are an aspiring artist, Paris is the ideal destination. We enjoy exploring diverse art forms worldwide, and as an admirer of Impressionist paintings, I was certain our visit to the Musée d'Orsay would be memorable. This museum offers something for everyone, and although the Louvre is the largest and most frequented museum, my preference will always be for the Musée d'Orsay. In this blog, we'll explore some of our favourite artworks to appreciate in the museum.
What is Impressionism?
Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, and Berthe Morisot exhibited independently as the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, united in rejecting academic art and the Salon. Monet, influenced by Pissarro and Manet, became the group’s leading landscape painter. At their first exhibition in 1874, Monet showed Impression, Sunrise, which inspired critic Louis Leroy to mockingly coin the term “Impressionism.” While initially ridiculed as unfinished, the style was later praised by progressive critics as a revolutionary approach to modern life. Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Morisot, Cézanne and Sisley proceeded to experiment with new methods of depicting reality. They rejected the dark, contrasting lighting of romantic and realist paintings, in favour of the pale tones of their peers' paintings such as those by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot and Boudin. According to The Met, "the techniques many of the independent artists adopted: used short, broken brushstrokes that barely convey forms, pure unblended colours, and an emphasis on the effects of light. Rather than neutral white, greys, and blacks, Impressionists often rendered shadows and highlights in colour. The artists’ loose brushwork gives an effect of spontaneity and effortlessness that masks their often carefully constructed compositions."
While the impressionism movement didn't last very long (1874-1886), the impact it had on modern art is beyond comprehension. The last of the independent exhibitions in 1886 saw the beginning of a new phase in avant-garde painting and with that, the impressionists paved the way for post-impressionism, which encompasses Neo-Impression, Symbolism, Synthetism, etc. A new generation of painters moved beyond Impressionism, focusing on emotion and symbolism rather than visual accuracy. Using bold colours and simplified forms, artists like Paul Gauguin, Georges Seurat, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Cézanne developed distinct styles that leaned toward abstraction and deeper artistic expression.
Musée d'Orsay: History & Collections
Originally built as the Palais d'Orsay in the early 1800s, this museum was inaugurated as the Gare d'Orsay, a belle époque train station, on Bastille Day in 1900. Throughout its history, it has experienced a tumultuous journey. While serving as a train station, it witnessed the notorious Paris flood of 1910 and was left unused from 1939 to 1977. Although there were plans to demolish the building, it was designated a Historic Monument in 1973 and eventually transformed into a museum. This museum houses artworks from the period bridging the classicism of the Louvre and the modern art of the Centre Pompidou, specifically from 1848 to 1914, with a strong focus on Impressionism. The Musée d'Orsay was officially opened on December 1, 1986.
Paintings
The Monet collection
Oscar-Claude Monet was one of the biggest pioneers of Impressionism and is considered to be a precursor to modernism. The world knows him for the series of water lily paintings but I would argue that there's a lot more to delve into considering the plethora of paintings he had created in his lifetime. I find his plein-air paintings are some of the best in the world. One of his most important early works is "Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe" (Luncheon on the grass), an oil-on-canvas painting from 1866, that remains unfinished but two fragments of it (large panels) are housed in the d'Orsay museum.
Coquelicots (Poppies) is another oil-on-canvas masterpiece, now one of the world's most famous paintings. Monet settled in Argenteuil in 1871, where he explored plein-air painting and created vibrant landscapes with support from dealer Paul Durand-Ruel. He exhibited Poppy Field at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874. The painting captures a lively summer scene using loose brushstrokes, bold colour contrasts, and simplified forms, emphasising visual impression over detail. The figures, likely his wife Camille and son Jean, serve mainly to structure the composition with a strong diagonal and contrasting red and green zones. This painting was a pivotal step toward abstraction.
The painting that struck me the most was that of his dying wife, Camille. Monet's first wife, Camille, died shortly after the birth of their second child, leaving the artist terribly grief-stricken. This work has been described by critics as a swirl of white, grey, and purplish tones, a powerful portrayal of loss that almost erases her features, making it one of the most emotionally intense and deeply personal deathbed paintings. Monet even signed this piece differently, with a small heart at the corner, to symbolise his unwavering love for his wife.
One cannot write about Claude Monet without acknowledging the phenomenon that is the Water Lilies series. Monet cultivated water lilies in his Giverny garden from 1893, calling it his greatest masterpiece. The Nymphéas (Water Lilies) cycle occupied him for three decades until his death in 1926. Monet developed two main composition styles: one with the pond’s edge and dense vegetation, and another focusing on the water’s surface with flowers and reflections in close-up, abstract views. These works were designed as decorative panels, culminating in his “great decoration” project from 1914—large, panoramic paintings installed in the Orangerie as immersive displays. The Musée de l’Orangerie houses eight of these compositions, created from various panels assembled side by side.
But two of his pieces from this series are housed in the d'Orsay museum that left me in awe and admiration. One of them was the Pink Harmony, which is different from his other paintings with the Japanese bridge in his garden. The painting shows a tranquil pond dotted with pink and white water lilies, whose soft colours blend with green and blue reflections to create a calming harmony. The arched white bridge spans the scene, adding structure and guiding the eye, while surrounding trees and their mirrored reflections bring depth and mystery. Monet’s fluid brushstrokes and delicate play of light capture the essence of his garden at Giverny, immersing the viewer in a serene Impressionist landscape.
In his later works, he removed the horizon and sky, focusing closely on the water’s surface. With loose, expressive brushstrokes and minimal detail, the paintings verge on abstraction, creating a sense of endless space and requiring the viewer to piece together the scene. This approach later influenced modern abstract landscapes and lyrical abstraction. It is also said that the bold choice of darker hues and heavier brush strokes in his later works could be an effect of his cataracts and that the artist struggled towards the end because of the worsening condition of his eyes.
The Van Gogh Collection
In today's world, the reality is that most people associate my all-time favourite artist with the "The Starry Night", his self-inflicted ear injury and eventual suicide. Vincent Willem van Gogh was so so much more than that, being the father of post-impressionism and paving the path for the rise of expressionism and modern art in the western world. While paintings like "Sunflowers" and "The Starry Night" are some of his most famous works with his uniques swirls, I find that his most underrated work is the "Starry Night over the Rhône" which he painted while staying in Arles and it's a magical depiction of the night sky along the banks of the Rhône river. The painting captures a tranquil moment on the river, where rippling water reflects golden gas lamps and a star-filled sky, including the Great Bear constellation. A strolling couple adds a subtle human touch, while the blend of celestial and earthly light creates a dreamlike, unified atmosphere. Unlike "The Starry night", which the artist painted during his worsened mental health in isolation and is reflected in the intensity of the painting, "Starry Night over the Rhône" reflects a more sense of calm and human connection through the usage of vibrant colours and thick brush strokes.
Although the d'Orsay museum houses more of the artist's important works like his self-portrait, the painting that caught my eye was Van Gogh's rendition of the the Église Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. "The Church at Auvers" is haunting and special at the same time. The artist painted this a month before he passed away and there are many interpretations and controversies around this painting. In the painting, the foreground is sunlit, while the church remains in shadow, neither reflecting nor emitting light of its own. Most people misinterpret the artist's stance on religion. It's important to note that after his death, this very church refused to hold his funeral mass because he committed suicide.
Other Impressionist paintings (Manet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro)
Édouard Manet was among the first artists of the 19th century to depict modern life and played a crucial role in the shift from Realism to Impressionism. My favourite work by Manet, out of the ones housed in the d'Orsay museum, is "On the Beach", which is housed in a beautiful wooden art-deco frame. Painted in 1873 at Berck-sur-Mer, this artwork depicts Manet’s wife reading on the beach while his brother gazes out to sea, forming a balanced yet detached composition that conveys quiet melancholy. Manet uses a narrow range of tones, including blacks and greys typically avoided by Impressionists. The landscape appears almost slapdash, with the horizon and sailboats near the canvas edge, challenging perspective rules. The sea's colour varies from dark ultramarine to emerald green through horizontal strips, creating a flattened effect. This work is considered to be one of Manet's paintings in which the Japanese influence was most strongly felt.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir was a prominent figure in the Impressionist movement. His artworks are distinguished by their vivid light and rich colors, frequently depicting people in intimate and candid settings. In true Impressionist fashion, Renoir conveyed the details of a scene using loosely applied strokes of color, allowing his figures to softly fuse with each other and their environment. One of his most famous Impressionist paintings is "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette", where Renoir captures a lively open-air dance scene in Le Moulin de la Galette in Montmartre near his home. His early mature works reflect classic Impressionism, portraying everyday life with vibrant colour and shimmering light. Renoir presents an idealised view of the Moulin de la Galette, omitting its reputation for prostitution. Instead of depicting its seedier side, he portrays a joyful, respectable afternoon, where any sense of love appears romantic and innocent rather than transactional. This painting is also credited with depicting the 19th century work-life balance. There's a fascinating theory suggesting that the artist used the same face for all the female figures and a different, but consistent, face for the male figures in the painting. But honestly, as an artist myself, I do not agree with that theory even one bit.
Edgar Degas, considered one of the founders of Impressionism, was quite different than other artists like Monet and Pissarro, in the sense that he didn't prefer painting outdoors and preferred to be called a Realist. Nonetheless, he is best described as an Impressionist, more than anything else. His scenes of Parisian life, off-centre compositions, and experiments with colour and form—along with his close ties to artists like Mary Cassatt and Manet—firmly connect him to the movement. He was a master at creating movement in his paintings involving dancers and his portraits are known for depicting psychological complexity. One of his later paintings focussed on ballerinas, "Dancers in blue", really struck me with its cool-toned blue and depiction of in-sync movement in the dancers. Degas used an expressive style of painting to showcase the ruffles of the dresses and the background of the painting.
Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro is often regarded as the father of Impressionism, as he was the eldest among the artists in the movement and was revered for his wisdom. He served as a paternal figure not only to the Impressionists but also to the four major Post-Impressionists: Cézanne, Seurat, Gauguin, and van Gogh. Pissarro dedicated three years (1885-1888) to mastering the meticulous technique of Pointillism, marking his shift to the Neo-impressionism movement. Initially unfamiliar with this influential artist, I was particularly struck by his work "Landscape in Eragny" at the Musée d'Orsay, which beautifully blends elements of Impressionism with Pointillism techniques.
Sculptures and Statues
When Degas died in 1917, about 150 little-known wax and clay sculptures were discovered in his studio. The only one exhibited during his lifetime, "Dancer Aged 14", shocked critics with its hyperrealism, featuring real hair and clothing, and was harshly criticised as almost animalistic. Through such works, Degas pushed realism to an unflinching, almost scientific depiction of society. After his death, bronze casts were made to preserve the original’s features of the young ballerina. The glass cage is the only element that Degas himself wanted, asserting this sculpture as a work of art.
What stood out to me the most with this tiny dancer was the posture, almost defiant and unapologetic with her nose pointing upwards and legs positioned in a manner that is not acceptable in the art of Ballet.
Inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, Carpeaux’s "Ugolino and His Sons" depicts the tragic story of Count Ugolino, a 13th-century Pisan nobleman imprisoned with his sons and grandsons after political betrayal. Locked in a tower and left to starve by Archbishop Ruggieri, Ugolino watches his children die one by one. In Dante’s account, he is driven to the edge of madness and possibly cannibalism. Breaking academic norms, Carpeaux chose this harrowing literary subject to explore extreme human suffering and psychological intensity. Each child represents a stage of death, while Ugolino’s tense, contorted body reflects influences from the Laocoön, Michelangelo, and Géricault, marking a shift toward highly expressive, emotional realism.
Did you know that you can find a bronze Statue of Liberty replica in the heart of Paris? Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor behind the most famous statue in the world, crafted a 1/16 scale, 2.74-metre (9.0-foot) version of his "Liberty Enlightening the World" on the occasion of Exposition Universelle (1900). This smaller copy was acquired by the French State in 1900 for the Musée du Luxembourg, displayed there until 1906, then moved to the Luxembourg Gardens at the sculptor’s widow’s request, and eventually transferred to the Musée d'Orsay after over a century.
Special Mentions
Paul Gauguin & Synthetism
Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was a French painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramist, and writer, whose work has been primarily associated with the Post-Impressionist and Symbolist movements. He was also an influential practitioner of wood engraving and woodcuts as art forms. While only moderately successful during his lifetime, Gauguin has since been recognised for his experimental use of colour and Synthetist style that were distinct from Impressionism. "The White horse" is one of his paintings from his later years that reflect his time spent in Tahiti. He loved wandering through wild forests and mountains, yet this painting is not a real place but a synthetic, imaginary vision of a Tahitian landscape. Framed by lush trees and imagined flowers, a pale horse, reflecting the greenery around it, stands quietly in a flowing stream, evoking mystery and spiritual passage. Beyond it, two nude riders drift into the distance, adding to the sense of quiet movement and timelessness. Rich greens, deep blues, and warm glowing tones create a serene, almost paradise-like mood. It's important to note that the man who commissioned it rejected the painting, saying the horse was “too green.”
The Clocks of the Museum
A stunning golden Belle Époque clock greets you as you enter the Musée d'Orsay (pictured at the start of this blog). Gare d'Orsay architect Victor Laloux designed this beauty and placed it in a highly visible spot in the station so that no one would miss their train. It still hangs at the same spot today, helping tourists keep track of time.
There's one other famous clock, enormous and industrial, that adorns the facade of the museum. When Gare d'Orsay opened in 1900, the grand Art Nouveau clocks did more than tell time, they highlighted the station’s elegance. Crafted from glass and steel, they gave travellers sweeping views of the city, turning the wait for a train into a memorable Parisian experience. During the transformation of the train station to the museum, the clocks were preserved. Today, the magnificent clock, doesn't so much tell time but serves as a great photographic object and a window into the beautiful city. One can see the Louvre right across the Seine, and on a clear day, even the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre becomes visible.
Pro tips:
I recommend undertaking a guided tour if you're only interested in spending time around the paintings and sculptures. The pieces get moved around and a licensed guide would know how to navigate the maze, making the trip much more efficient.
Although the museum has a cafe and it provides decent options for food and drinks, there's usually a queue to get entry and the price points for basic items are too high. Nonetheless, it's a good option if you need to hydrate after walking all around the museum or you need fuel before doing all the walking.
Disclaimer:
This museum has a lot more paintings and collections to admire than what is mentioned in this blog. The pieces highlighted here are some of my personal favourites and reflects my artistic choice and principle. One could easily spend a whole day just exploring everything the museum has to offer!
To find out more about our adventure in Paris, do read our blog post. Are you an art-lover planning to visit Paris? Let us know in the comments if this blog was useful and contact us for more useful tips.
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