Last Of The Orsay, 2026

On May 10th we made our last visit to the Orsay for the year, visiting the Impressionists, a special exhibit on the identification of stolen art in WWII, and a section of non-Impressionist late 19th century work. Oh, and for hard-core art appreciationistas, I should mention that my new article, "Monet in America, 1889-90," is up and ready to view here.

Personal favorite, always to re-post, Manet's Luncheon on the Grass, 1862

Gustave Caillebotte, The Boating Party or Oarsman in a Top Hat,
1879; acquired by the Musee d'Orsay in 2022 for nearly $50mm;
Caillebotte painted, usually more realistic scenes, but is most remembered
as a patron and collector of the Impressionists; his collection, donated
to the state, is the core of the Orsay's Impressionist department

The identity of the top-hatted oarsman is unknown, 
but I vote for Manet, here shown from a nearby Fanton-Latour
group portrait; Manet and Caillebotte were known to be close,
the former much influencing the latter's realist tendencies

Another Caillebotte, The House Painters, 1877

And more famously, his Floor Scrapers...1875; reminded us of scraping
and caulking the floor of our home in Montana...

Very late Renoir, reverting to his Rubens period?

Van Gogh, Church of Auvers sur Oise, 1890

One of the three Starry Nights

The post-Impressionists had an interest in (manually-operated)
fans and designing images for fans...this one by Gauguin

Another by Toulouse-Lautrec

Unusual Renoir landscape...Algerian scene, 1881

Henri Gervex, A Session of the Painting Jury, before 1885;

a raised umbrella (Paris is more beautiful in the rain") was 

a yes vote; Gervex himself was disqualified from competition 

in the Salon some years earlier (painted a nude that was

considered in poor taste)

An interesting exhibit funded by the American Friends of

the Musee d'Orsay...some of the Orsay's holdings,
recovered from the Germans after 1945, for which proper
owners have never been found...most likely all murdered...

One of Cezanne's many Mt. Victoix landscapes...ruled 

a fake after the war, now considered genuine

An important earlier Renoir, Madame Alphonse Daudet, 1876

Alfred Stevens, Brother and Sister by the Sea at Honfleur, 1891;
there were many such paintings, many by well-known artists

From a great video on the whole sordid affair... Goering examining
his latest hoard

Due credit to the US Army "Monuments Men," who recovered much
of what had been stolen; watch the movie! read the book!

Rose Valland, museum curator, member of the Resistance, kept meticulous
secret notes on the German plundering, leading to the recovery of many works

Now moving on to another part of the museum...a great sort-of Romeo
and Juliet scene, Alexandre Cabanel, The Death of Francesca de Rimini
and Paolo Malatesta, 1870; not Romeo and Juliet...

William Bouguereau, Equality Before Death, 1848

William Bouguereau, Birth of Venus, 1879

Cabanel, Birth of Venus, 1863

Jean-Leon Jerome, Young Greeks Attending a Cock Fight, 1846

Interim Update #1,293

So on Wednesday May13th, we packed up, closed the apartment, Bolt-ed to the Gare du Nord, took the Eurostar to St. Pancras, the Piccadilly Line from Kings Cross to Heathrow Terminal 5, the Hertz shuttle to the Hertz lot, picked up our rental car, and set forth toward our lodging near Southampton. It was one of the smoothest removals ever until I took the wrong turn off the M3, and we then found ourselves on 5-6 miles of Google-directed single lane two-way roads through the wheatfields and wilds of Hampshire. Not Vicki's worst nightmare, but certainly in the top 10. See illustration. Eventually we found our way to the Days Inn and dinner, rest, relaxation, and regrouping. 

In any case we are now in the UK of GB for six weeks or so and have very much enjoyed our first day here, seeing Winchester, the great Cathedral, and generally reacquainting ourselves with Brits and British culture. We even had breakfast--scones and clotted cream--at the Marks and Spencer cafe. I swear we were the youngest people there and among the few not reading print newspapers. We'll continue our 2026 visit to Britain here just as soon as the blog gets us out of France, in five or six more posts.

Gare du Nord, Hall #1

Adieu, Paris; until 2027

In the wilds of Hampshire; at least they were not HGVs (heavy goods
vehicles) nor tour buses

Reward at the end of the road

Parc Bagatelle

We visited the Bois de Boulogne's Parc Bagatelle in June, 2025, a week after its tournament of roses. This year, we were a couple or three weeks early. It was still a flowery treat, and we finally managed to tour most all of the park. 

Roses doing well

Plenty of other things to see

The orangerie...it was all part of a large estate...prior to the Revolution

Click to enlarge and see some of the contestants in the International
Concours de Roses Nouvelles

The oldest of "new rose" competitions; since 1907

The place was lousy with peacocks...perhaps a dozen

All eager to show off

The day's wedding photo

The chateau...still closed, under renovation; as related in
the 2025 post, resulted from a bet between a duke and Marie
Antoinette...built in 60-some days, employing some 800 workers; 
including out-buildings (orangerie, trianon, guardhouses, 
assorted landscaping, follies, etc.); the queen lost the bet

The Trianon...also undergoing renovation...other than the grand and petit
ones at Versailles, "trianon" refers to a small elegant retreat apart from
the major structures...

Guardhouses and sculpture

Lady sphinx with a push-up bra...what other blogs would
show you this?!

Garden and grounds behind the chateau

Garden side of the chateau

Huge old copper beech...

Among the water features

Mature Monkey Puzzle; a male, I think

All of it not far from La Defense ("new" Paris)

Interesting back side of the trianon

Another water feature

In the morning we walked right in; in the afternoon there was a line...

Riding the bus back home, crossing the Champs Elysees, looking
toward the Grand Arch

Under the Eiffel Tower

Never a surprise to see a literary quote someone has posted...

Reminiscent of Barcelona

But the White Tree grows in Paris