Tuileries Park & Musée de l'Orangerie

Just inside Tuileries Park.

A manmade lake in the park in front of
the famous Luxor Obelisk with the
Arc of Triumph in the background. 

I chalk it up to my unfamiliarity with Paris, but I didn't know that Musée de l'Orangerie was in a park until I was led there by my friend. I didn't think it would be anything special, but Tuileries Park is gorgeous and worth a stroll or a sit if you're tired.

The day I was there, several people were visiting as it was a beautiful day. In my opinion, parks in Paris often have a "beach" feel as there is usually gravel rather than grass on park grounds. So, I felt everyone at Tuileries Park looked like a bunch of over-dressed beach-goers, especially around the artificial lake since it resembles a swimming pool. Nonetheless, the scenery was great, and I was content to be one of the many enjoying it.

After briefly taking in the park, Sica and I made our way to the Musée de l'Orangerie. As most everyone knows, Paris (and every major city in Europe) is littered with museums. Of course, since my time in Paris was limited, I couldn't see all of the major ones. I chose to go to Musée de l'Orangerie because I knew it focused on modern (i.e., late 19th to early 20th century) art, which is my favorite time period art-wise.

Early 20th century selfies? :)

The man in this drawing looks like Pornstache
from Orange is the New Black! 

Amazing pencil work.

There's something hauntingly modern about this piece;
it almost seems too modern for its time.

Another futuristic piece.

This one is unfinished, but the line work looks
extremely similar to modern comic book drawings, doesn't it?

My photo doesn't do this piece justice.
The green honestly looked as if it were glowing - amazing!

This was an interesting drawing by Frantisek Kupka.
As angels are often depicted as white and devils black,
he made the devils white and angels black.

Aside from the fact that it contains several pieces from my favorite artists, I feel the Musée de l'Orangerie is a awesome museum for two main reasons. One, it's relatively small, so you can see every piece within a single afternoon. Two, it's located near several scenic spots; therefore, before or after you visit the museum, you can explore other interesting places in the area.

I think Musée de l'Orangerie was my favorite out of the museums I visited in Europe because every piece of art there was captivating in its own right. Plus, you can see the stunning Water Lilies by Monet there (you can't take pictures of it, of course)! Ultimately, I think Musée de l'Orangerie is satisfying, especially since it's not as overwhelming as the Louvre.