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A Walking Tour of Paris

6 artworks from 6 artists across 5 galleries
The tour is ordered to begin from the Michigan Avenue entrance. If you are starting in the Modern Wing, simply do your tour in reverse order.

Explore the neighborhoods and landmarks of Paris in this tour of works inspired by the City of Light.

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  • Arrival of the Normandy Train, Gare Saint-Lazare

    Claude Monet

    The Impressionists frequently paid tribute to the modern aspects of Paris, depicting scenes of grand boulevards and modern constructions. Monet made 12 paintings of the Gare Saint-Lazare. Here, he focused on the glass-and-iron train shed, where he found an appealing combination of artificial and natural effects: the rising steam of locomotives trapped within the structure and daylight penetrating the large, glazed sections of the roof.

    "Built in 1837, Saint-Lazare is Paris's oldest train station. Today, it's also a shopping mall and an underground Metro station connecting you to all corners of the city. Nearby is the Musée d'Orsay, whose collection includes many works by Monet."

  • Fishing in Spring, the Pont de Clichy (Asnières)

    Vincent van Gogh

    This painting is set on the river Seine at the Clichy Bridge near Asnières, a suburb north of Paris where Van Gogh painted on several occasions with his friend and fellow artist Paul Signac. Van Gogh was inspired by a technique Signac innovated called divisionism, in which, using science-based color theory, he painted distinct strokes of different colors of paint next to each other to make each color more luminous.

    "The Seine winds eight miles through the heart of Paris, dividing the city into its Left and Right Banks. Thirty-seven bridges connect the two parts, many of which provide serene spaces for strolling, picnicking, and, if you're like Van Gogh, painting."

  • On a Balcony

    Mary Cassatt

    Shown at the 1880 Impressionist exhibition, On a Balcony depicts a woman in a private garden surrounded by flowers rendered in energetic brushstrokes of red, blue, yellow, and pink. Mary Cassatt focused on the activities of middle- and upper-class women in society—from public outings like the theater to domestic settings such as this one. Here, the blue rail of the balcony, visible near the top of the painting, defines the enclosed space of a garden, and the sitter’s morning dress further indicates the intimacy of the location. Cassatt signaled the modernity of her subject through the woman’s choice of reading material: she peruses a newspaper rather than a novel, demonstrating that even at home, Cassatt’s subjects are connected to the contemporary world.

    "Nothing feels more Parisian than enjoying a coffee or glass of wine on a wrought-iron balcony, looking out over the city's wide boulevards."

  • Venus de Milo with Drawers

    Salvador Dalí

    This sculpture is a half-size plaster reproduction of a famous marble statue on view at the Louvre Museum that Dalí altered with pom-pom-decorated drawers. Influenced by the work of psychologist Sigmund Freud, Dalí envisioned exploring the mystery of desire with an "anthropomorphic cabinet" in the shape of a woman. His Surrealist take on the ancient goddess of love was the culmination of that idea.

    "Built as a fortress in the 12th century before becoming a royal residence, the Louvre opened as a public museum in 1793 after the French Revolution. Today, its collection includes nearly 500,000 objects, including the ancient Greek 'Venus de Milo.'"

  • Seated Figure

    Jacques Lipchitz

    Starting in 1900, young artists migrated to Paris's Montparnasse neighborhood, a hub of avant-garde activity. Jacques Lipchitz moved to there in 1909 and, becoming friends with Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, and others, began participating in the Cubist movement. The style's fractured geometric forms and favored subject matter (such as musicians and seated bathers) can be seen in both his bas-reliefs and sculptures in the round like Seated Figure.

    "Montparnasse is still home to many artists, and, more recently, to Paris's only true skyscraper. Located on the Left Bank, it's where you'll find the city's most famous cafes and the Fondation Cartier, a contemporary art museum that opened in 1984."

  • Champs de Mars: The Red Tower

    Robert Delaunay

    Delaunay made a series of Eiffel Tower paintings, of which the Art Institute’s is the best known. The artist infused the image with the dynamism of modern life by using multiple viewpoints, rhythmic fragmentation, and strong color contrasts. Delaunay accented the structure’s height by framing it with tall buildings and placing shorter buildings at its base. The top of the tower, augmented by winglike clouds and patches of sky, seems to soar.

    "The Eiffel Tower stands over 1000 feet high and offers some of the best views of the City of Light. Over its lifespan, it's been repainted in many colors, from 'Venetian Red' to reddish brown to yellow. Since 1968, it has remained 'Eiffel Tower Brown.'"


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