There’s that one famous art piece in Paris that gets all the fame, yet She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is not the only artwork in all of Paris’ Museums for art lovers. There’s the delicate brush strokes of lily pad’s in Monet’s Water Lilies. The strong, hefty forms in Rodin’s bronze sculptures, and light-filled impressions in Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la Galette.
If you’re an Art Lover visiting Paris, here’s are a few of the famous artworks and the museums to find them in Paris – in addition to the Mona Lisa! There, I’ve said Her Name!
The Ladies of the Louvre Plus Leonardo
If you are planning an art trip to Paris, then the Louvre is a must on your museum visit list. This iconic Paris landmark houses something close to 380,000 pieces, dating from pre-history [what is even pre-history?] to the 21st century. The 35,000 works of art are spread across 8 departments (ie: lots of walking. Approx 15 acres or 8 miles of walking all galleries… oof!). Scared? Yah, we were too.
We actually waited until our 3rd Trip to Paris to tackle the Louvre because we were so overwhelmed with the list of must-see famous artworks at the Louvre. So we did what every smart Tourist should do, hired an expert guide- one with a degree in Art History. The tour was 3 hours, we skipped the line, saw the highlights of the Louvre and left as the museum was closing exhausted but happy!
Here’s the Louvre tour we booked with Get Your Guide>> For your first-time or even your third-time, we highly recommend the opportunity to learn art history from an expert!
Famous Art at the Louvre:
- Venus de Milo ancient greek marble statue
- Winged Victory of Samothrace ancient greek sculpture
- Victory Leading the People painting by Eugène Delacroix
- Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci
- The Coronation of Napoleon painting by Jacques-Louis David
- and many, many more!
The Mystical Musée de Cluny
The Cluny Museum is a marvel in itself. Part Roman Bath – part historic home for an Abbot (Hôtel des Abbés de Cluny) it holds famous artworks from Paris and beyond that transcend across time (First thru 15th Centuries) and dimension; sculpture, tablets, carvings and stain glass. It has recently reopened in May 2022, and is the only national museum in France dedicated to the Middle Ages.
The crown jewel of this magical museum is the six tapestries of the The Lady and the Unicorn. Held in their own gallery, this collection of tapestries woven to represent the sense of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight hang in a dim room with benches in the center of the room give space for contemplation. The sixth sense, explained only by the inscription “À mon seul désir” (To my only desire) is a blend of the five all boldly woven against a detailed woodland and red background.
The Famous Art and History of the Cluny Museum in Paris
In addition to the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries the Museum holds such works as:
- Illuminated manuscripts – think Book of Kells, but not in a solitary confinement room.
- A First century sculpture – the Pillar of the Boatmen, that was found under Notre Dame
- Six entirely preserved statues of Apostles from inside the Sainte-Chapelle. This is your chance to get up close to sculptures that are usually 100 feet of the ground.
- A room of cloisonné enameled objects from the Limousin workshops! Gold, enamel, gems – oh my! And they supposedly held relics, too.
Book entry tickets directly with the museum. We recommend at least the audio guide>>
Monet’s Masterpieces at Musée de l’Orangerie
If you only visit one gallery in this renowned Paris art museum, Monet’s masterpieces Nymphéas [Water Lilies] cycle held in the Musée de l’Orangerie is a must!
For thirty years Monet focused on the study of the Water Lilies and went as far as conceptualizing the type of space specifically needed to hang these canvas works. The galleries are two elliptical rooms that allow one to view “illusion of an endless whole, of a wave without horizon and without shore”.
- Plan your visit for the very first entry time and don’t stop at the first room but proceed to the second and you’ll have the room to yourself before the throngs of people arrive.
- The remainder of the museum holds numerous impressionistic paintings of the 19-20th Century paintings and photographs including of Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir and photographer Paul Guillaume.
More than a Train Station: Musée d’Orsay
I have to admit, I wasn’t all that into visiting this prominent Paris Museum- the Orsay Museum, on the left bank of the Seine. This was the only “event” we had planned for the day, and it was day 3 of our three museum tour <yawn> and I was getting twitchy.
Thanks for my hunky husband for proving me wrong on this one! The museum is easy to navigate, has plenty of rest stops and a splendid cafe to break up the visit. It’s now one of my highlights of the trip!
This famed Paris museum holds art and history, once a Beaux-Arts railway station from the last part of 1800s.(replaced by the metro running below) A host of famous French artworks includes paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It houses the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world. You’ll visit painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Gauguin, and van Gogh.
The Famous Artworks of the Orsay Museum
- More Monet? Yes, and worth it! His 4 painting study of Rouen Cathedral, Haystacks, Women in the Garden and Woman with a Parasol.
- If you haven’t been to the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, this is an amazing collection of his works including: Bedroom in Arles, Self Portrait (2), The Church at Auvers, and Starry Night
- Classics such as Cabanel Birth of Venus, Millet Gleaners,
- Manet’s racy nude, Olympia
- Colorful and theatrical Paris from the eye of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
- and the sculptures! Rodin, Gauguin, Camille Claudel, and Sarah Bernhardt
The museum had audio tours of their own. We downloaded the Rick Steves app>> and used his audio tour as our guide.
Of course you’ll want to get there early. We had the first tour, arrived 30 minutes early and there was still a queue to wait.
The Muscles of Musée Rodin
Monet’s Nymphéas [Water Lilies] is best viewed in the galleries he designed at the Orsay. Similarly, the Rodin Museum is the best place to view this artist’s most famous sculptural art pieces. The museum was Auguste Rodin’s former home, studio, and gardens at Hôtel Biron.
It is a wonder that this artist who defined an age of bronze sculpture is primarily self-taught. Rodin was rejected not once, but three times from the École des Beaux-Arts. This happened during a time when the Neoclassical style was more regarded than Rodin’s tendency for naturalism and large scale. As such, Rodin made his living as a craftsman, designing roof decorations and staircase and doorway embellishments. It wasn’t until his late 30s, when the artist found inspiration from Michelangelo. This inspiration gave him permission to ignore the academic sculpture of the day. By 40 he received his first commission from the French State for The Gates of Hell for a Museum of Decorative Arts.
Today, the Rodin Museum is a blend of interior and exterior galleries, and is a delight whether you visit both or choose one over the other. We spent our first visit wandering the outside galleries only. The gardens hold a very pleasant coffee stop at the museum’s outside cafe. The garden has gravel paths leading into small open-air rooms and rose gardens that feature Rodin’s work at various stages of the artist’s career.
Famous Rodin Art at the Rodin Museum
- The Thinker, bronze
- The Kiss, marble and large model plaster
- Bust of a Young Woman with Roses in Her Hair, Terracotta. Rodin’s earliest work.
- The Gates of Hell, bronze. Dante fans will love seeing this interpretation. Good thing there is a bench.
- Monument to Balzac. Plaster model and bronze.
How to Plan a visit to the Famous Art of Paris
The list above represents THREE separate trips to Paris. Our museum visits were subject to the time of year we were in the city (who wants to be inside in the summer?!), and how many people we were traveling with. For example, November was the perfect month to visit 3 museums. And just like children, our senior Moms got burnt out after one museum visit, and we even fed them (what gives?!). Have realistic expectations for your group and plan accordingly.
- Pace yourself! I’m usually good for 2, maybe 3 hours for a museum visit. Then I get hangry and need a snack. We plan one museum a day and usually get tickets for the first skip the line entry. That way we can stop for coffee or tea at the museum coffee shop.
- FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH – The Museums of Paris are free for everyone, from October to March. Check with each museum on whether you need to book in advance on these days.
- Visit the Gift Shops. Yes “exit through the gift shop” is a thing. I find supporting these museums gift shops is a great way to ensure you contribute to its success. Some of my best souvenirs were purchased at museum gift shops. A eraser in the shape of the bust Napoleon anyone? What about a micro cloth of Starry Nite to clean your glasses? Have you seen my Water Lilies socks? You get the picture.
- Depending on your visit, a city pass might be a great option. There are many to choose from, here’s a Paris Pass from GoCity>>
Have fun! These visits are bucket-list items. Don’t rush, stay present (and hydrated) and pack your trip with memories! Let me know what you enjoyed during your visit of Paris’ most famous artworks in the comments below. Cheers!
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