Renoir Exhibition at Musée D'Orsay

It's been a while since we visited Musée d'Orsay, one of the largest art museums in Europe, built in the former Gare d'Orsay railway station in Paris.  The museum holds mainly French artwork and we are excited that it is currently hosting an exhibition of works by Renoir, one featuring paintings and another, drawings.

Featuring Renoir

We enter and start with the paintings, titled Renoir and Love (Renoir et l'Amour) using the subject matter of couples, bohemian friends, conversations, and convivial lunches to offer a reflection on the era and on love.

Renoir et l'Amour

The exhibition next door is titled Renoir the Draughtsman (Renoir Dessinateur) and features drawings, many of which are largely unknown.  Renoir never stopped drawing and is reported to never let a single day go by without sketching.

Renoir's drawings

Following the drawings, we find Renoir's pastel art, in which he is a considered a master on par with Manet and Degas.

Pastels

From the Renoir exhibitions, we head up to the top floor of Musée d'Orsay for a quick spin through the impressionist collection, spotting many favorites and a few we don't recall, but really enjoy.

Impressionism

We return to the main floor of the museum and head out into the city for more exploration.

Back on the main floor