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Contents
From Monet to Van Gogh | Discover the exquisite Orsay Museum collection
Explore the Orsay Museum collection
Orsay Museum’s collection contains over 6000 artworks, out of which the permanent exhibits consists of about 3000 pieces, including artworks sourced from other museums such as the Louvre.
The permanent collection houses paintings, sculptures, medals, decorative art, photographs, graphic arts pastels, and architectural elements. Notable paintings include masterpieces like London, The Parliament, and Poppies by Monet, and The Starry Night and Self-Portrait by Vincent Van Gogh. Among the collection of numerous sculptures, The Age of Bronze by Auguste Rodin is a classic.
Know About Orsay ExhibitionsOrsay Museum collection highlights
Paintings
The paintings in the Orsay Museum collection came from other museums in France. Over the course of the reign of various monarchs, the nature of artworks acquired by the museum changed. It was after the 1860s era of impressionism that the style took center stage at the Orsay Museum. The paintings displayed in the museum today consist of modern masterpieces such as Ball at the Moulin de la Galette by Auguste Renoir, Olympia the 1883 painting by Edouard Manet, and The Angelus by Jean-François Millet.
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Sculptures
The Orsay Museum collection of sculptures includes over 1200 items. Most of these pieces were passed on from museums like the Musée du Luxembourg. In 1881, a bronze male nude sculpture known as The Age of Brass by Auguste Rodin was acquired by the museum. Ratapoil, the famous political statue by Honoré Daumier, became a part of the Orsay Museum’s collection in 1891. Antoine Bourdelle's Ludwig van Beethoven bust made its way into the museum in 1905.
Photograph
When the Orsay Museum Collection decided to start a section for photographs in 1978, no National Museum in France had a similar segment. The photography section in Orsay includes images dating back to 1839. Photographs between 1839 to 1863 depict the golden age of French and English photography. This collection includes 40 prints by pioneering French artist Gustave Le Gray. The Orsay Museum collection also includes over a thousand images taken by French-American lensman Paul Burty-Haviland.
Decorative Art
Orsay Museum’s collection of decorative arts consists of thousands of rare artifacts sourced from different parties. A very wide campaign was carried out by the State to acquire furniture, silverware, ceramics, enamels, and glassware from places like Musée du Luxembourg and the Louvre Museum. Some of the prestigious works on display are Lars Kinsarvik's Armchair from the 1900s and French Nouveau artist Émile Gallé's Mysterious Grapes.
Graphic art & pastels
The graphic arts department in the Orsay Museum has over 80,000 drawings. Arts belonging to the second half of the 19th century are featured in the collection. Some of the important works on display are The Black Knot by Georges Seurat, a self-portrait of Gustave Courbet, and Portrait of Manet by Edgar Degas. The bouquet of daisies by Jean-François Millet is an important exhibit in the pastels section, which houses around 500 artworks.
Architecture
It's interesting to note that the building that houses the Orsay Museum was once a train station. Today, the museum pays tribute to the stunning techniques prevalent in the construction of the Orsay Museum building and other similar structures in and around Paris. The materials, decorative art, and architectural drawings make up around 18,000 objects on display. Contributions of masters such as Victor Baltard, Félix Duban, and Charles Garnier, are the attraction of this collection.
Know MoreTemporary collections at Orsay Museum
Along with a permanent collection on display, the Orsay museum collection often features temporary exhibitions known as moving collections.
Works on deposit
Orsay Museum collection has a deposit of over 5000 artworks. These art pieces are kept within the museum as a reserve for public exhibitions or to lend to other museums. The artworks in the deposits get regular verification to assess their condition. The museum also handles deposits from other museums such as the Louvre or the National Museum of Modern Art.
Restorations
Art restoration is an integral part of protecting the artworks, some of which are centuries old. Orsay museum undertakes various restoration techniques such as preventive conservation, facial protection, and the restoration of old frames. In 2018, a Restoration Commission was created in place to examine the artworks and preserve them.
The cinema in the permanent course
From the very beginning, the Orsay Museum collection has dedicated a room for cinema. The exhibits in the collection pay tribute to cinematography and the history of the medium. Films are also shown during the temporary exhibitions.
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Frequently asked questions about the Orsay Museum collection
How many artworks are part of the Orsay Museum collection?
Orsay Museum collection consists of about 6,000 artworks, out of which around 3,000 are on display.
How long will I take to see the entire Orsay Museum collection?
We recommend spending about 2 to 3 hours to see the entire Orsay Museum collection.
What is part of the Orsay Museum collection?
The Orsay Museum collection consists of thousands of artworks across different genres such as paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs.
How many paintings are part of the Orsay Museum collection?
There are over a thousand paintings on display at the Orsay Museum. This includes works of artists like Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh.
What are the most famous paintings in the Orsay Museum collection?
Some of the most famous paintings in the Orsay Museum collection include Ball at the Moulin de la Galette by Auguste Renoir, Olympia the 1883 painting by Edouard Manet, and The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh.
What are the best artworks of the Orsay Museum collection?
The best artworks of the Orsay Museum collection include The Age of Brass by Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet paintings such as London, the Parliament, and Poppies, and the famous self-portrait of Vincent Van Gogh.
Is the entire Orsay Museum collection on display?
No. The original Orsay Museum collection consists of 6000 artworks, but the permanent collection only displays 3000 pieces.
What sculptures are part of the Orsay Museum collection?
Some of the notable sculptures in the Orsay Museum collection are The Age of Brass by Auguste Rodin, Ratapoil by Honoré Daumier, and Ludwig van Beethoven bust by Antoine Bourdelle.
How old is the Orsay Museum collection?
Though the Orsay Museum opened to the public only in 1986, the collections date back to 1848.
What photographs are part of the Orsay Museum collection?
Some of the famous photographs displayed in the Orsay Museum collection are of Paul Burty-Haviland and Gustave Le Gray.
Are there any temporary Orsay Museum collections?
Yes, temporary art collections are displayed at Orsay Museum at different times during the year.
