Picasso Museum in Paris, An Outstanding View Of An Outstanding Man~Lean & Mean W/O
Written: Dec 12 '03 (Updated Dec 12 '03)
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Pros: An easy Museum to see in a short time
Cons: I'm not there now..No Cons
The Bottom Line: In a great neighborhood, easy to combine with other attractions..The artwork is outstanding as is the lovely Mansion they are displayed in
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| ifif1938's Full Review: Picasso Museum - Paris |
Just thinking about the last review I wrote for this Lean and Mean Write/off hosted by Sleeper 54, I thought about another small museum located near the Carnavelet in the Marais section of Paris that I enjoy visiting so much and wondered why I hadn’t written about it before..So, this review, about the Picasso Museum, will rectify that situation.
We all know Picasso was a rare sort of man and talented beyond words, a man who revolutionized the arts, some people revere him, others have scoffed at his works but nobody can deny he lived and loved as fully as any man can…He also was rare in the fact that throughout his life he managed to keep a significant amount of his own paintings and sculptures for his own personal collection along with many works of art created by masters of their day. When he passed away much of this collection was possessed by the French Government to pay for a significant sum of money he owed in back taxes…These works of art truly needed their own space the French thought so a new museum was created to house them…
The Hotel Sale‘, a gracious and restored 17th century mansion built by the man who made his fortune controlling the distribution of salt in 17th century France, was just the place thought the French and, in 1985, when the doors finally opened, within the first month more than 80,000 visitors came, fulfilling Picasso’s boastful statement “Give me a museum and I will fill it up”..Did he mean with people or with art? Either way he did both!
Although many of his famous paintings are displayed in other museums, this collection gives a unique perspective and personal view of the entire span of Picassos illustrious career and life’s work…The range is enormous and it’s almost hard to believe the same person created all the art you see as you walk though the exhibits. From his astonishing childhood creations such as “Girl with Blue Feet“, painted when he was only 14, the tours take you through his Blue, Rose and Cubist periods, on to the unmistakable style of his later years.
This museum contains the largest Picasso collection in the world with 203 paintings, 158 sculptures, 88 ceramics, 1500 drawings and 29 relief paintings along with dozens of his sketchbooks and many prints and collages…Not only that, but his own collections of other famous artists are displayed as well, works by Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, Braque, and Rousseau.
It’s almost impossible not to be impressed even if you are not a fan of Picasso’s…...I loved seeing his early work and seeing the changes in his art form as the years progressed. You can see the joy, the anguish and the turbulence of his private life as you walk through the rooms and witness these events on canvass and the other venues represented
This a bright airy museum and one room containing a giant painting was most impressive to me..I almost got into trouble as I took a picture of it when all the other people sitting on the stairway studying the painting turned to glare at me when my flash went off, though I did think I turned it off. Lot’s of dirty looks but the guard didn’t notice and I quickly left the room.
As I mentioned, the Picasso Museum is located in the Marais. It is a gem of museum, one you can spend a whole day in if you wish but also is small enough to be seen fully in a short visit especially if large museums overwhelm you. I would recommend combining the Picasso with the Musee Carnavelet if you only have one day to spend in the Marais, you would still have time for a great lunch and some wonderful shopping in the many outstanding boutiques and gift shops located throughout this unique and remarkable neighborhood of Paris.
To see the other many reviews in this Write/off go here…why don’t you join? We need some more Travel reviews to compete with the many product,movie and book reviews already submitted..:)
Happy and Safe Travels
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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