......I knew that in a few days I would be going to Giverny to see Monet's garden and lily pond. I had seen quite a few of Monet's painting at d'Orsay, but felt there must be more that I could see somewhere. So a search revealed the Marmottan-Monet Museum....far out in the 16th arr. It was originally a royalty-owned hunting lodge and in the late 1880's purchased by Marmottan, an aristocrat whose son enlarged it in order to house his considerable art collection. Upon his death he bequeathed the lodge and his collections to the State and many other aristocratic families donated their collections also. Among the people donating was one of Monet's sons. He donated a huge amount of the artist's works.
Here's what the Museum looks like.......surrounded by a park...
Many of Monet's paintings are of his garden in Giverny and the very unique Monet perspective of the reflections in the lily pond. I was particularly fascinated by these reflection paintings. There were others of his painting too....portraits and the like.....but I was mesmerized by the paintings of reflections. It was a rare opportunity to subconsciously form a focus for my subsequent visit to Giverny.
So, the Monet's are part of the permanent collection. There was a Special Exhibit of the paintings of Berthe Morisot. One of the most famous woman impressionists. She was considered quite a beauty and is another woman artist who was also an artist's model. She did a lot of beautiful paintings of woman and children, especially her daughter, earlier in her career. I like her later stuff better, as her style became more and more impressionist.
Self Portrait
An example of her later, more impressionist style.....
Portrait of her done by Manet.
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