Paris - Musée Marmottan Monet

The Musée Marmottan Monet, situated close to the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, is a Mecca for lovers of the Impressionists. The nucleus of the museum was the collection assembled in the latter part of the 19th century by the industrialist Jules Marmottan and his son Paul. In 1934 they bequeathed their villa and art collection to the Institut de France. The value of the collection was later greatly enhanced by donations from Donop de Monchy in 1948 and Monet's son Michel in 1966.

Among the museum's principal treasures are a number of masterpieces by Monet, including the famous "Impression, Soleil Levant" (1872) which gave Impressionism its name, "Train dans la Neige" (1875), "Pont de l'Europe" (1877), "Parlement" 1905) and studies for his "Nymphéas" ("Water-lilies"). There are also pictures by Renoir, Sisley and Pissarro which belonged to Monet.

Other notable items are Italian panel paintings (14th-15th C.), tapestries from Burgundy (16th C.), Late Gothic sculpture from Germany, wood figures from Mechlin (15th- 16th C.) and rooms in Empire style with gouaches by Carmontelle, busts by Bosio and views of châteaux by Carle Vernet.