Paintings in the Musee D'Orsay

In the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, open since 1986, masterpieces by Monet, Rousseau, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Seurat, Cassatt and Klimt hang alongside paintings executed by lesser-knowns between 1848 and 1914. A globe-straddling array of artists whose work is reproduced here stretches from Finland to Portugal, Australia to Puerto Rico, to exhilarating effect. Realism looms as an ever-present force, from Eugene Boudin's intensely luminous beach scenes to Alfred Stevens's grim views of starving French workers. The dreamy introspection of Puvis de Chavannes's fantasies reverberates in symbolist canvases. Modernism looks more diverse, more international and more disquieting than ever before. Boasting 830 color plates, this massive sampler frames an inexhaustible store of riches. Commentaries by Rosenblum, professor at New York University, are spirited and enlightening. BOMC bonus selection. (Oct.)