Page 61 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

P ARIS A T A GLANCE  59

(17th–18th century). Furniture 18th-century Paris Mint at the
Modern and and objets d’art from the Middle Musée de la Monnaie. French
Contemporary Art Ages to the present coins are no longer
The Pompidou Centre houses century are arranged minted here, but the
the Musée National d’Art in period rooms at old Mint still makes
Moderne, covering 1905 to the the Musée des Arts medals which are
present. It has a good selection Décoratifs. The on sale. Stamps
of Fauvist and Cubist Musée d’Orsay has are on show at the
works, particularly by a large collection Musée de la Poste.
Matisse, Rouault, Braque of 19th-century The history of postal
and Leger, as well as furniture, notably services is also
works by the 1960s’ Art Nouveau. Louis covered, as are all
Nouveaux Réalistes. XV (1715–74) and aspects of philately
The Musée d’Art Louis XVI (1774– Cabinet, Musée old and new, with
Moderne de la Ville de 93) furniture and des Arts Décoratifs temporary shows
Paris, in the elegant decoration can be found on current philatelic design.
1930s Palais de Tokyo, in the Musée Nissim de Visitors can marvel at the vast
also has an excellent Camondo, a mansion national collection of minerals
collection, including from 1912 facing the Parc on display at the Musée de
Delaunays, Bonnards Monceau. Other notable Minéralogie, which is housed
and Fauvist collections are the in the Ecole Nationale
paintings. The Musée Cognacq-Jay; the Supérieure des Mines. The
highlight is Musée Carnavalet (closed collection includes 100,000
Matisse’s 1932 until 2019); the Musée samples of minerals, rocks,
mural The Dance. Jacquemart-André (French meteorites, gems, ores and
In the opposite Penelope by furniture and earthenware); artificial minerals from
wing of the same Bourdelle the Musée Marmottan 72 different countries.
building, the Palais Monet (Empire) and Musée
de Tokyo showcases some of d’Art Moderne de la Ville de
today’s most avant-garde artists. Paris (Art Deco). Fashion and Costume
The Musée Picasso Paris, in The two rival fashion museums
a lovely 17th-century mansion, in Paris are the Palais Galliera
has the world’s largest Picasso and the Musée de la Mode
collection, including paintings, within the Musée des Arts
drawings and sculptures. Décoratifs. Neither has a
Picasso, Matisse, Modigliani, permanent collection, but
Utrillo and late Derains make both hold regular shows
up the collection on display devoted to the great Paris
at the Musée de l’Orangerie. couturiers, such as Saint Laurent
For modern sculpture, the Postboxes, Musée de la Poste and Givenchy. They sometimes
small Musée Zadkine has display fashion accessories
Cubist work by a minor school Specialist Museums as well and, more rarely
whose leading light was Ossip but always fascinatingly,
Zadkine. The Musée Antoine Devotees of antique sporting historical costumes.
Bourdelle and the Musée guns, muskets and hounds
Maillol house works by these of the chase should make for
two sculptors. The Frank Gehry- the attractive Marais Musée
designed Fondation Louis de la Chasse et de la Nature
Vuitton houses contemporary (Hôtel de Guénégaud). This
works by the likes of Gilbert & museum also has some fine
George, Jeff Koons and Jean- 18th-century animal paintings
Michel Basquiat. by Jean-Baptiste Oudry and
Alexandre-François Desportes,
as well as others by Rubens
Furniture, Decorative and Brueghel. The Musée de la
Arts and Objets d’Art
Contrefaçon gives a fascinating
Pride of place after painting insight into the world of
must go to furniture and the counterfeit with examples from
decorative arts, contained in a every luxury trade, including
plethora of museums. Fine perfume, wines and spirits, and
ensembles of French furnish ings clothing. Numismatists will
and decoration are in the Louvre find an extensive coin and
(medieval to Napoleonic) and medallion collection housed in
at the Palace of Versailles luxurious surroundings at the Poster for the Palais Galliera

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