© RMN-Grand Palais (PBA, Lille) / Philipp Bernard, Musée de la Vie Romantique by Pierre Antoine, RMN-Grand Palais / image RMN-GP.
Discover Paris's Most Charming Museum! To commemorate the bicentennial of Théodore Géricault's death, the Musée de la Vie Romantique pays tribute to the painter and his passion for the equestrian world—a passion that ultimately led to his demise. This exhibition is a must-see!
A Fatal Passion
Géricault is well-known for painting “The Raft of the Medusa”, but his work extends beyond that. The Musée de la Vie Romantique highlights the artist's impressive body of work dedicated to horses. When not in his studio, Géricault spent his time in the stables of Versailles, observing horses until his death at 32, caused by numerous falls. This exhibition brings together a hundred preparatory studies, watercolors, and sketches, showcasing Théodore Géricault's precise brushwork in capturing the powerful muscles of horses in motion.
Horses are depicted in various states: portrayed as romantic heroes, often the sole subjects of the paintings, bathed in moonlight, resting in stables, or deceased, burdened by the horrors of early 19th-century Napoleonic wars. Géricault also portrayed the bourgeois horse, admired during his travels in England. Long before Edgar Degas, he immortalized prestigious horse races like the "Epsom Derby", where the horses seem to fly in a fantastical stormy setting. A true marvel!
What's Next?
Just a short walk from Pigalle, Adami is the new modern eatery perfect for tasting fresh pasta with surprising combinations by Neapolitan chef Marco Sergiampietri (formerly of Il Carpaccio, Le George). Must-try dishes include ricotta gnocchi Nerano (zucchini cream, zucchini, and zucchini flowers, €17) and spaghetti alla chitarra with prawns in bisque enhanced with garlic cream and black lemon (€19) (19 bis rue Pierre Fontaine, Paris 9th).
© GrandPalaisRmn (Musée du Louvre) / Philippe Fuzeau.
Also, don't miss the free Chagall exhibition in a chic gallery and the precious Brancusi exhibition at the Centre Pompidou.
