Musée Gustave Moreau

Musée Gustave Moreau Review

A visit to the quirky town house and studio of painter Gustave Moreau (1826-98), a high priest of the Symbolist movement, is well worth your time. With an eye on his legacy, Moreau created a light-flooded gallery on the two top floors of his four-story home that would best show off his dark paintings after his death. Some of the works appear unfinished, such as the Unicorns (No. 213) inspired by the medieval tapestries in the Musée Cluny: Moreau refused to work on it further, spurning the wishes of a wealthy would-be patron. His interpretation of Biblical scenes and Greek mythology combine flights of fantasy with a keen use of color, shadow, and tracings influenced by Persian and Indian miniatures. There are wax sculptures and cupboards with sliding vertical doors containing small-format paintings. The Symbolists loved objects, and Moreau was no different. His cramped private apartment on the second floor is jam-packed with bric-a-brac, and artworks cover every inch of the walls.