The Musée d’Orsay was very busy and physically exhausting. But the building is extraordinary, and it was wonderful to come face to face with so many famous impressionist and post-impressionist paintings. Van Gogh’s stare has stayed with me…

A large clock face with Roman numerals is shown from the inside, silhouetting a person standing in front of it. The clock serves as a window, providing a panoramic view of a cityscape outside under a clear blue sky.

View from inside a large clock face looking out over a river. The foreground shows the black clock hands and Roman numerals on the glass. In the background, there’s a cityscape with historic buildings and a clear blue sky.

A large, open museum gallery with an arched, ornate ceiling and intricate patterns. The interior is filled with people walking and viewing sculptures and artworks displayed throughout the hall. The ceiling is made of glass panels, allowing natural light to illuminate the stone walls and exhibits below.

View of the Seine River in Paris on a sunny day, with a sightseeing boat in the foreground. The riverbank is lined with historic buildings, including a prominent museum building. A stone bridge spans the river in the background, and a partly cloudy sky is overhead.

A painting of a man with reddish-brown hair and a beard. He is wearing a blue coat with a white shirt underneath. The background features swirling patterns in shades of blue and gray, creating a textured effect. The man’s expression is serious, and his gaze is directed outward.