While I was in Geneva I visited the local art museum, and while in Paris I visited two art museums, The Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay. I saw more art than I could possibly appreciate in a year in the space of about 6 hours, and I must say, I understand a little bit more about why I am not an art major. It’s clear that I’m not a big art fan. However, had I been surrounded by that art from very young age, perhaps I would appreciate it more.
I don’t know if I am supposed to interject my personal opinion in all of this, but I am going to. I tired really quickly of the art displayed in all of these museums because of all the nude art, especially in Orsay. Having European experience, I expected a lot of bare breasts and male genitalia. That doesn’t mean I appreciated it; on the whole I found it to be rather uncomfortable. I drew the line at offensive and obscene when I saw a painting of female genitalia displayed prominently in the Orsay. At that point, I was ready to leave. Some people say such art is artistic and that the human body is the most perfect piece of art on earth, and maybe it is. That doesn’t mean that I appreciate seeing it portrayed in the way that it is. I think such art undermines what I believe to be the sacred nature of the human body, and I would prefer to not have it be a part of my life. That’s just my opinion, though.
The great artists of history—Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, etc.—are among the artists present in the Louvre and Orsay. I think France in particular takes great pride in being known as the global center of culture and refinement. The art scattered throughout a hundred different museums throughout the city of Paris only goes to reinforce those feelings of national and cultural pride. It’s easy to understand why the French feel this way too. France in general holds a comparative advantage in the production of luxury goods, and along with such a distinction comes a lot of pride. That pride is very apparent in the Louvre. That building is monstrous. It’s impossible to visit every part of that museum in a day.
Because of the presence of art not only in many local museums but also in government buildings and bridges, I believe that the French place huge importance in the role of history in their lives. Nearly all the bridges that cross the Seine have some sort of statue or monument nearby, and the bridge that crosses the Seine between the Place de la Concorde and the Assemblee Nationale is laden with art. At least to me, it begs the question, “Where did this come from? Why is it here?” And of course, when you learn about the art, you learn about the reason the bridge or building or whatever was built. It helps keep the French and Europeans in general cognizant of their past and the importance of art in daily life.
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