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Paris Sightseeing: On The Art Trail

At various times since the Middle Ages, Paris has been justly considered the spiritual centre of art in the western world. It was to Paris that artists were drawn and looked to for intellectual inspiration, and it was here that the great painters of history washed up and set about changing the world and the way we see things.

To embark on an exploration of the arts in Paris is to embark on a discovery of the world's greats.

Where else to begin your tour than the Louvre. Home to literally thousands of classic and modern masterpieces, Musée du Louvre houses the biggest collection of art in the world. Some 6 million visitors pass through every year to see paintings by Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Cezanne, to name but a few, and of course, one of the most popular attractions to be found at the Louvre is the sound walk based on Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code'.

Not far away the Musée d'Orsay showcases work by Delacroix, Degas, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Guaguin and Cezanne, the work of the Impressionists taking centre stage. The Orsay is located in an old train station building which in itself is a marvel to behold.

Perhaps the most influential artist of the 20th century, it is only fitting that a museum dedicated to Pablo Picasso should be found in Paris. The Musée Picasso contains over 3000 works from all of Picasso’s major periods, plus the artist’s own personal collection and momentoes of his life.

The Musée Rodin contains a staggering number of marble, bronze, plaster, wax and terra cotta sculptures, plus ceramics, paintings and drawings. The sculpture is spread pleasantly through the museum and a garden so that the visitor can suddenly happen upon such great works as The Kiss and The Thinker.

L'Espace Dali, which covers the work of surrealist artist Salvadore Dali, focuses particularly on the creative process that produced some of Dali's most famous works. It contains a fine collection of his paintings, drawings, cartoons, and sculptures.

As well as celebrating legends of the past, Paris is embracing modern art and looking to the future with such modern institutions as the Centre Pompidou. Pompidou Center - containing the National Museum of Modern Art - is in itself a sight to see, being an architectural vision based on a building turned inside out. All the interior elements such as water pipes and escalators are displayed on the outside of the Centre Pompidou.

Art in Paris is everywhere, on the streets and in homes, business centres and the thousands of exhibitions. More than this there is an appreciation in French culture that the artist should be valued and that art should be enjoyed by everyone.

In truth, you’ll have a pretty hard time avoiding art in Paris even if you try. The great galleries and museums of art should not be missed as there are few, if any, collections in existence that even come close to those of Paris.