Cool Paris

From September 2010 we’ll be going one better with the biggest Monet exhibition in thirty years, organised by the associated national museums and the musée d’Orsay.

The last large Monet exhibition in Paris was in 1980 (at the Grand Palais once again), and since then much research has been done about the artist, bringing to light many lesser known aspects of his work. The exhibition will showcase Monet’s entire career which started in 1860 and his evolution from a young, rather traditional artist to his blossoming as an impressionist whose work was sometimes on the verge of abstract.

From Normandy to Paris, via London, the centre of France or Rouen, Monet created a new style and palette of colours, often painting the same scene in several different lights to incredible effect.

At 50 he created his garden at Giverny, and it was to become an endless source of inspiration for his paintings. The light, the seasons, the flowers… his deep attachment to nature inspired him daily at all times of year.

The retrospective at the Grand Palais – containing nearly tow hundred Monet pieces – mixes famous and lesser known works and tries to surprise the visitor, especially with its use of juxtaposition, helping you to have a new view of the paintings and show that Monet was an extraordinarily modern artist.

Of course some weeks ago we did indeed visit the big Monet exhibition. There are a lot of people who had the same idea, so it is rather crowded. They take care that there are not to many people admitted, but to my feeling you are still with a lot  visiting the exhibition. The exhibition gives a nice idea of Monet’s work and the influences he used. I liked it but I didn’t got the “wow” feeling. Maybe it was because of the crowd, maybe because of the big number of works, maybe I was not in the mood… But after all, it’s a must do when in Paris this fall.

Monet exhibition, Grand Palais, 22nd Sept 2010 – 24th January 2011, M° Franklin D. Roosevelt

Open every day except Tuesdays and Xmas day from 9am – 8pm (last ticket). Admission 13€ / 9€. A joint ticket with the Orangerie is also available for 19€. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance.