Paris is well known for its architectural splendor, and one highlight I experienced was a visit to the Musee d'Orsay, situated on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, CÉzanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
I was most impressed with not only the artworks, but the architecture of the building itself both inside and out. One particular highlight was the clock that adorned the inside of the main section of the museum. This is the original clock that was used when the station was in operation. The physical size and ornateness of the piece had me in awe, and I stood looking at it for at least 20 minutes. To me it looked like a large fob watch and I imagined commuters keeping an eye on it as they were passing through to catch their trains.
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