Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris

Jun 17 | Written By American Baroness

Raoul Dufy, from 1931 www.mam.paris.fr/en

We spent this past winter (2020) in a creaky, perfectly Parisian apartment on Rue des Archives, around the corner from one of my favorite market streets, Rue Rambuteau. We stayed for nearly two months, and only left before our lease was up because of the emergency nation-wide lockdown. A few days before our last-minute departure, the city already emptying and quiet, we took yet another of our daily long walks. We had decided to make it a double-feature on that sunny afternoon, and visit two museums that were entirely new to both of us. 

We already had our favorites museums— d’Orsay, Nassim de Comodo, Rodin, Cluny and Carnavalet—and soon we’d have two new ones: Jacquemart-André and…the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Both are beautiful, and the latter, sublime.

Housed in a 1930’s monument to modernism. High ceilings with nearly as high windows, and a melancholy view onto the Eiffel Tower (on her more remote and less touristed side). Containing an astounding collection of 20th (and 21st) century modern (and contemporary) art, including iconic works by Modigliani, Matisse, Derain, Braque, Soutine, Buffet, both Robert and Sonia Delaunay, and ahhhh…Raoul Dufy. When we’re finally able to travel freely, when the world is once again on its feet, we’ll find our way back to France. I’ll spend my first full afternoon at this museum, followed by a long stroll to the Left Bank for a simple supper at Café de la Nouvelle Mairie.