Petit Palais

City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts

Established as a museum in 1902 following the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Petit Palais stands as a grand monument dedicated to the glory of the City of Paris. Designed by Charles Girault, this "official palace" houses an extensive collection of French art, featuring significant decorative murals and sculptures created between 1903 and 1925. It remains a premier cultural landmark where visitors can experience the seamless blend of traditional and modern architecture in the heart of Paris.

Visitor Informations

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Must-see Artworks

The Petit Palais offers a serene environment to encounter iconic French masterpieces without the overwhelming crowds of larger institutions. At the heart of its collection is Claude Monet’s Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, a pivotal Impressionist work that captures the fleeting light of winter. Visitors can also immerse themselves in the bold realism of Gustave Courbet and the vibrant portraits of Georges Clairin. From the delicate brushstrokes of Paul Cézanne to the evocative sculptures of Antonin Mercié, such as Gloria Victis, the museum provides an intimate and comprehensive journey through the evolution of 19th-century French art.

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Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect

Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect

1880

Claude Monet

Location 📍 Petit Palais, Room 8

Following the particularly harsh winter of 1879, Claude Monet produced twenty or so paintings during the early months of 1880, observing the Seine’s ice slowly thawing. Driven by a lack of money, he sought reentry into the official Salon with this landscape of Lavacourt—a village on the left bank of the Seine, opposite his base in Vétheuil. While a deliberately toned down version was accepted, this work was rejected as Monet gave freer rein to pictorial experimentation. The painting barely figures the topographical aspects, instead emphasizing the importance of air and water through colour. Monet used fine, fluid strokes in the upper third for the cold mist, while the water and banks feature wider strokes with impasto highlights. The orange sunset at the composition's center recalls the 1872 work, Impression, Sunrise (Paris, Marmottan Museum), providing an impression of haste, instability, and transience fitting for the twilight hour. This masterpiece was gifted to the Petit Palais in 1906 by Edward Brandus.

Portrait of Ambroise Vollard

Portrait of Ambroise Vollard

1899

Paul Cézanne

Location📍  Petit Palais, This work is not currently on display

Painted in 1899, this portrait is part of a project detailed in Ambroise Vollard’s Memories of a Picture Dealer (1937). Cézanne, the first to undertake the task, required the model to remain as motionless as an "apple." Other artists including Louis Valtat, Pablo Picasso, Émile Bernard, Jean-Louis Forain, Raoul Dufy, and Georges Rouault also engaged in this exercise. The portraits by Cézanne and Picasso stand out as significant artistic manifestos. Vollard was conscious of working for posterity by associating his effigy with the names of the artists he was helping to make known, aiming to leave behind a lasting artistic legacy. This vision is confirmed by his 1945 bequest to the Petit Palais of numerous paintings, sculptures, ceramics, books, drawings, and prints.

Young Ladies on the Banks of the Seine (Summer)

Young Ladies on the Banks of the Seine (Summer)

1857

Gustave Courbet

Location📍  Petit Palais, Room 5

Exhibited at the 1857 Salon, where it unleashed a critical scandal, this work depicts young women who have come out from the city on a hot summer's day to cool off by the waterside. The realism of this highly sensual scene is manifest in the frankness of the faces and postures. Unique for its combination of a modern subject and an unusually large format for a genre scene, the work broke away from the conventions of the day. This modern subject, presented by the ever-provocative Courbet, prefigures the future popularity of the banks of the Seine, which would be celebrated by the Impressionists a generation later.

Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt

Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt

1876

Georges Clairin

Location📍  Petit Palais, Room 3

At the 1876 Salon, this large-scale portrait of the 32-year-old rising star Sarah Bernhardt captured the attention of Parisian critics. Painted by Georges Clairin, her lover and official portraitist for fifty years, the work depicts the bohemian splendour of her new mansion near Monceau Park. Wearing a white satin dress with a studied nonchalance, her sinuous figure and the painting's pearlescent tones heralded the Art Nouveau aesthetic. This portrayal, capturing a feminine presence that is both seductive and disquieting, was a personal favorite of Bernhardt, who kept it throughout her life. Following her death, her son Maurice Bernhardt donated the painting in 1923 to the Petit Palais, where it continues to keep the myth of the great actress alive.

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Historical Overview

Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition alongside the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais was officially established as a museum in 1902. It was conceived as a permanent monument to celebrate the benefits of art and the glory of the City of Paris. The museum houses an extensive collection, including significant decorative murals and sculptures created between 1903 and 1925, representing a comprehensive history of French art.

Architecture

Designed by architect Charles Girault, the building is a masterpiece that blends traditional and modern styles. Its unique trapezium-shaped structure features four wings centered around a semi-circular garden bordered by a richly decorated peristyle.

The architecture is renowned for its:

• The Grand Entrance Gate: A masterpiece of wrought ironwork designed by Girault himself.
• Decorative Murals: A monumental project that took over 20 years to complete, featuring the Symbolist style works of Albert Besnard in the entrance lobby.
• Mosaics: Luxurious floor surfaces throughout the galleries and garden peristyle, created by the famous Italian artist Facchina.
• Stained Glass: The entrance rotunda features unique stained-glass windows manufactured in the Champigneulle’s workshops.

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When to Visit

For more details, visit the official website ↗

Other & Outdoor Facility Hours

• Garden & Cafe Le Jardin du Petit Palais(Café 1902)
• Access & Entry (입장 방법)
• The cafe is situated within the serene garden of the Petit Palais.
• Visitors can enter free of charge through the museum's main entrance without a separate gallery ticket.
• Please note that the cafe operates on a walk-in basis only (no prior reservations).
• Operating Hours (오픈 시간)
• Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:45 pm
• Friday & Saturday (Extended): Open late until 7:40 pm
• Last Order (라스트 오더)
• Daytime: Until 5:15 pm
• Friday & Saturday Evenings: Until 7:15 pm

Special Notes for Visitors

✔️ Special Opening Hours

• The museum may extend opening hours during special exhibition periods.

⚠️ Galleries close 15 minutes before museum closing

Admission

Admission Fee

• Permanent Collections: Free Admission
• Temporary Exhibitions: Paid Admission
• While the main collection of the Petit Palais is free, special temporary exhibitions require a paid ticket. Please check the official ticketing site for the current exhibition schedule.

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You May Also Like

#Petit Palais #Marmottan Monet Museum #Orangerie Museum #Musée de l’Orangerie #Louvre Museum #Musée d’Orsay #Free Museums in Paris #Claude Monet #Gustave Courbet #Beaux Arts Architecture #Paris City Museum #Grand Palais #Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris #Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt

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📍 Petit Palais | Paris | France

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