Almost all paintings of artists after creation begin to live their own independent life. Some have been dusting for decades in the archives of museums or even in the attics of houses. Others bathe in the rays of glory and daily indulgently accept crowds of fans. Paintings are stolen, maimed, restored, forged and even burned. Some paintings are admired, others shock the indignant audience. Some paintings enriched their owners, others became the curse of their customers. Behind each curious picture stretches a kind of historical plume, and it also changes its perception.

Known worldwide as the temple of impressionism, the Museum of Orsay has the largest collection of works of art of the XIX-XX centuries. The rich history “from the station to the museum”, where architecture, sculpture, painting, graphics, photography, cinema, decorative and applied arts are presented, all this makes the museum one of those places where you want to return. Music and literature are not forgotten either.

During the tour you will get acquainted with the “official” academic trends of the famous “Salons”, such as: classicism, romanticism, realism, orientalism, statuemania, etc.

You will also know:

Who and what paintings were selected for the Salons, arranged by the Academy of Arts?

What preceded and who was the forerunner of Impressionism? Who are the artists of the Barbizon School and what role did they play in the birth of Impressionism? Why did the exhibitions of the “left out” appear? Who was exhibited at these exhibitions and what is hidden under the veil of Olympia, Breakfast on the Grass by Edouard Monet?

What is the truth of the eccentric realist artist Gustave Courbet and why one of his most daring and shocking paintings, The Birth of the World, was released only in 1988?

How did the impressionable artists come to be and why did they come to be called the Impressionists? What revolution in art did independent impressionist artists make?

Who are the Post-Impressionists and are genius and madness compatible?