Palais de Beaux Arts de Lille

On our last afternoon in Lille, we visited the well-known art museum. The Palais de Beaux Arts has the 2nd biggest collection of France (after the Louvre).  Because of that description it was a lot smaller than I had expected. I'd be surprised that Musee D'Orsay has less art.

Anyway, the museum had just the perfect size for an afternoon visit, after we had lunch in the new bistro "Le Beau Café" inside the museum.  You can reach Le Beau Café in the atrium without having to pay for entrance, so it's an easy place to meet people and be inside in the warmth.  They also have some relax sofa's. 

We were there just a few days after the much praised Millet exposition had been finished. Bummer.


Some of us chose to stay in the sofa's whereas some joined me for a visit of the art.  We paid the entrance of 7 euro, although the security at the staircase was too busy playing games on their smart phone or were even not on their spot, so it would have been easy to visit the museum for free. But we are honest, so we paid our ticket. 
We also picked up a free audio guide, but mine was hardly charged and crashed already in room 2.  Also half of the explanations pictured next to the art was unavailable on the audio guide...so there's something to be improved a lot. Seriously.   But hey, it was for free so we were not complaining and continued our tour without audio support.


I enjoyed the hall with impressionists most.  Much to my surprise and pride, there was a painting by Emiel Claus from my hometown. I also really enjoyed Monet's impression from Big Ben and Van Gogh's re-interpretation of Jordaens's study of 5 cows. 

Emiel Claus



Monet





I really wanted to see the Goya's available but they didn't impress me as much, whereas Frans Hals gave me a big smile.



We almost missed Breughel, which is so funny to study with its many little side stories hidden everywhere in the scenery. 


In the basement of the museum was older art, including a paiting in style of the Flemish Primitives but I prefer the more recent art. 



Practical: 

Entrance Fee: 7 euro but free each first Sunday of the month
Wheelchair accessible/ Strollers only in permanent collection
Place de la République 59000 Lille

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