Le Hôtel de Donon Our fourth destination (in our 5 part quest for escaping the crush of tourists) is in the heart of one of the most touristy, and crowded, sections of Paris - the Marais. Just one block from the Musée Carnavalet (the museum of Paris) is located another little gem of peace and calm known as the Musée Cognacq-Jay. It is named after the originators of the collection, Théodore-Ernest Cognacq and his wife Marie-Louise Jay - the founders of the famous La Samaritaine department store.
The museum is located at 8 Rue Elzevir inside the former Hôtel de Donon which dates from the 16th century and is itself a quite interesting architectural site. Cognacq-Jay is home to art from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries and the collection is utterly fascinating. Spread over four floors and twenty rooms, there are works of many genres here. Porcelains from China, ceramics, jewels - and an impressive variety of period furniture.
There is also an impressive selection of paintings ranging from Rembrandt to Cézanne and Degas. I was particularly drawn to the paintings of Jean-Baptiste Greuze whose realist style broke with the bucolic landscapes and portraits favored by the aristocrats of pre-Revolution France. Greuze's work is infused with the gritty realism and honesty that became one of the pillars of the emerging ideological current which spawned the French Revolution. There are several excellent examples of his work on display here.
The museum is located at 8 Rue Elzevir inside the former Hôtel de Donon which dates from the 16th century and is itself a quite interesting architectural site. Cognacq-Jay is home to art from the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries and the collection is utterly fascinating. Spread over four floors and twenty rooms, there are works of many genres here. Porcelains from China, ceramics, jewels - and an impressive variety of period furniture.
There is also an impressive selection of paintings ranging from Rembrandt to Cézanne and Degas. I was particularly drawn to the paintings of Jean-Baptiste Greuze whose realist style broke with the bucolic landscapes and portraits favored by the aristocrats of pre-Revolution France. Greuze's work is infused with the gritty realism and honesty that became one of the pillars of the emerging ideological current which spawned the French Revolution. There are several excellent examples of his work on display here.
The un-crowd awaits you At one point I was quite surprised to stumble upon several pieces of ceramic from the late 1700's that were early precursors of the Art Deco movement of the 1920's. Apparently there truly is nothing new under the sun.
And while the museum is in the heart of the tourist-packed confines of the 3rd arrondissement, it has somehow fallen off the circuit of most visited places. You will not have to worry about navigating a crush of fellow travelers here. In-fact, I often found myself completely alone in several salons - almost as though I were on a private self-guided tour. It was great.
Don't miss this under appreciated gem.
http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monuments/237/musee-cognacq-jayweeblylink_new_window
And while the museum is in the heart of the tourist-packed confines of the 3rd arrondissement, it has somehow fallen off the circuit of most visited places. You will not have to worry about navigating a crush of fellow travelers here. In-fact, I often found myself completely alone in several salons - almost as though I were on a private self-guided tour. It was great.
Don't miss this under appreciated gem.
http://en.parisinfo.com/museum-monuments/237/musee-cognacq-jayweeblylink_new_window
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