Sept 22 2017

The Rodin Museum was something I really looked forward to visiting.  It was wonderful to see but I was very disappointed to find most of the garden inaccessible due to construction or remodeling.  We did see “The Thinker”, “The Gates of Hell, ” The Burghers of Calais” and “The Three Shades” in the garden.  Inside the museum there are many wonderful pieces but the one that moved me the most is “The Cathedral”.  Two right hands in the moment before they clasp.  There is something so beautiful and intimate in these isolated hands.

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We enjoyed the marvelous day as we walked from the Rodin Museum to the Orangerie.  My favorite part of this museum was sitting in the wonderful peacefulness of Monet’s Water Lilies, gazing in wonder at their beauty.  These two oval rooms are filled 360 degrees with hundreds of individual paintings made to look like one continuous work.  They depict the gardens at Giverny and were painted during Monet’s last 30 years.  It really is amazing to think that much of this beautiful, vibrant work was done when Monet’s vision was diminished by cataracts.

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Next the Louvre.  The building is amazing but I can’t honestly say that I enjoyed it very much.  It is simply an overwhelmingly large museum with loads of visitors.  We saw a small fraction of it.   I found the old remains of the medieval foundation constructed about 1200 very interesting.  We saw Winged Victory and went through the Islamic Art Gallery.  I also especially enjoyed the Satyres en Altlante.  These male “columns” are contemplating their navels, or maybe…..?  Very amusing!

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