Which artists are exhibited at the Musée de l'Orangerie?
Monet, alone on the ground floor
The oval rooms have only one artist. Eight panels, 91 meters, offered in 1922 and inaugurated in 1927. Everything I have to say about them is on Monet's Water Lilies. The only other Monet in the museum is downstairs, in the collection, and it is small.
The Walter-Guillaume collection, artist by artist
Paul Guillaume, art dealer who died in 1934, bought what his contemporaries were not yet looking at His widow Domenica, remarried to the industrialist Jean Walter, sold the collection to the State between 1959 et 1963 ; the public has seen it since 1966. Here's what's in it, with the exact numbers.
- André Derain, 29 paintings. The most represented, and the least known to the public. Walter-Guillaume defended him when no one wanted his return to classicism.
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 25 paintings, including "Young Girls at the Piano", the one the groups stop in front of.
- Chaïm Soutine, 22 paintings. The carcasses, the twisted landscapes of Céret, the alter boys. It's the whole collection that surprises the most, and the one I come back for.
- Paul Cézanne, 15 paintings, still lifes and landscapes, including several from the end of his life.
- Pablo Picasso, 12 paintings, mostly from the 1920s.
- Henri Matisse, 10 paintings, the Nice period.
- Maurice Utrillo, 10 paintings, Montmartre and its white walls.
- Henri Rousseau, 9 paintings, including the wedding and the cart.
- Amedeo Modigliani, 5 paintings, portraits, including one of Paul Guillaume himself.
- Marie Laurencin, 5 paintings.
- Gauguin, Sisley, Monet, Van Dongen, one painting each.
Why this collection requires a guide
The Water Lilies are viewed without commentary. The Walter-Guillaume collection, however, is not: without knowing who Guillaume was, why he bought Derain instead of Braque, what Domenica changed after his death, you can't appreciate 146 paintings in twenty minutes while wondering why there are so many Soutines. The reviews of the small group guided tour (six people per art historian) almost all mention this: Mary, an American visitor, writes that her guide "took the time to place each artist in their era." This is exactly what this basement needs. You can read what other reviews say on reviews of the guided tour.
A review of the multilingual private tour regrets that the guide spent too much time on Monet at the expense of Picasso. If you come for the collection, tell your guide at the start.
Included
- Access to the 146 paintings with the basic entry ticket
- Commentary on the collection during the guided tour and audio guide
- The discreet labels in the room
Not included
- Commentary on temporary exhibitions (neither guide nor audio guide)
- The Monets at Orsay, which are in another museum
- Flash photography is prohibited in front of all paintings
Spend twenty minutes in the Soutine room. It's the part of the collection that visitors often skip, and it's the one that remains. The complete tour and the order of the rooms are on what to see at the Orangerie.
Book the guided tour
Frequently Asked Questions
How many paintings are there in the Walter-Guillaume collection ?
146, on level -2, by fourteen artists. Derain is the most represented with 29 paintings. See what to see at the Orangerie.
Are there any Picassos at the Orangerie ?
Yes, twelve, in the Walter-Guillaume collection on level -2. A guide helps to locate them ; see the guided tour.
Where is the Renoir " Young Girls at the Piano " ?
On level -2, among the 25 Renoir in the collection. The recommended visiting route is on visit duration.
Are there other Monet paintings besides the Water Lilies?
Only one, small, in the basement collection. The eight large panels are described on Monet's Water Lilies.