Perhaps at one time, there was an orange orchard next to the Musee de l’Orangerie. But now, it is best known for the oval room full of water lilies. Even for those who are not Monet-obsessed, it is a must-see.
A small museum at the tail of the Tuileries, it is tucked into the corner next to the Seine and the obelisk stolen from Luxor. It is best to go on an early Sunday morning — avoiding, of course, the first Sunday of the month unless budget is tight. It is closed on Tuesdays. If you time it just right, you can even attend a dance performance in the space and arrive early to guarantee the room will be almost entirely empty and free for your languid perusal.
First, stand in the center of the room and do a slow 360 turn, appreciating the four approaches to light, shadow and color as one full story. Then, move a bit closer and stroll a full circle, beginning the dance between definition and abstraction. Stop with your instincts and let the colors sweep through you. Once your circle is complete, turn back and begin again but closer still to the canvases — so close, in fact, that the details leap out and the realism is lost. At this point, sink fully into the abstraction.
Catch the individual brush strokes, the contrast of colors, the messiness of it all.
Occasionally, take a step back to remember into what the seemingly arbitrary pairings of colors and haphazard directions of the paint transform.
Finally, take a seat on one of the benches in the middle of the room. Reflect on the meaning of beauty, nature and vision. What do you feel? Where do your thoughts travel? Is there a particular spot of canvas that continues to draw your eye, or a melody that pops into your head, or a creative inspiration seeding in your mind? How will you let this moment change you?
Live in the details.