Musée d'Orsay Highlights: 10 Must-See Masterpieces

Painted in 1849-1850, this monumental canvas caused a scandal by depicting an ordinary provincial funeral with the scale and seriousness reserved for historical events. Courbet painted fifty life-sized figures attending his great-uncle's burial in his hometown. Critics were outraged that he elevated common people to heroic proportions, rejecting romantic idealization for raw realism. The painting launched the Realist movement and challenged academic hierarchies. At over 6 meters wide, it remains one of the most powerful statements about death, community, and the dignity of everyday life.

Painted in 1871, this austere portrait of Whistler's mother became an American icon despite being created in London. Whistler insisted the painting was primarily an "arrangement" of colors and shapes, not a sentimental portrait. The restricted palette and geometric composition show his belief that painting should be like music – valued for formal qualities rather than subject matter. His mother posed for weeks in the uncomfortable profile position. The work influenced modern abstraction while paradoxically becoming a symbol of maternal devotion. It's one of the most recognized images in Western art.

When exhibited in 1865, this painting caused one of art history's greatest scandals. Manet painted a nude prostitute staring directly at the viewer with unflinching confidence, attended by a Black servant bringing flowers from a client. The flat painting style, stark lighting, and confrontational gaze shattered conventions of the idealized nude. Critics called it vulgar and shocking, but young artists recognized its revolutionary honesty. The painting challenged viewers to acknowledge the reality of modern Paris rather than escape into mythological fantasies. It became a cornerstone of modern art's rejection of academic tradition.

Painted in 1863, this controversial work shows a nude woman casually picnicking with fully dressed men in a contemporary Paris park. The brazen modernity shocked audiences – nudes were acceptable only in historical or mythological contexts. Manet's flat painting style and the woman's direct gaze confronted viewers with uncomfortable questions about class, sexuality, and artistic convention. Rejected by the official Salon, it was exhibited at the "Salon des Refusés" where it caused outrage and fascination. The painting marked a turning point toward modernism, influencing the Impressionists and later avant-garde movements.

Painted in 1873 near Monet's home in Argenteuil, this joyful canvas captures a spring day with vibrant red poppies dotting a hillside. Monet's wife Camille and their son Jean appear twice in the composition – once at the top and again in the foreground, suggesting movement through the landscape. The loose, rapid brushstrokes and bright colors embody Impressionism's revolutionary approach to capturing light and atmosphere. Monet painted outdoors directly from nature, prioritizing visual sensation over detailed finish. The painting's freshness and immediacy made it a landmark work in the Impressionist movement's challenge to academic painting.

Painted in 1876, this dazzling work depicts a Sunday afternoon dance at a popular Montmartre gathering place. Renoir captured the dappled sunlight filtering through trees, the movement of dancers, and the joy of Parisian working-class leisure. He painted many of his friends as models, creating an authentic snapshot of bohemian life. The flickering light effects and loose brushwork were radical for their time. At over 4 feet tall, Renoir painted much of it outdoors on-site to capture the authentic atmosphere. It remains one of Impressionism's most beloved masterpieces and a celebration of modern urban pleasure.

Painted in 1877, this is Monet's homage to modern industrial Paris. He rented an apartment overlooking the station and created a series capturing trains, steam, and the iron-and-glass architecture. Rather than romanticizing rural landscapes, Monet found beauty in locomotives, smoke, and urban energy. The atmospheric effects of steam dissolving into light showcase his genius for capturing transient moments. This painting represents Impressionism embracing modernity – trains symbolized progress and the new pace of life. Monet transformed an everyday scene into a meditation on light, movement, and the changing modern world.

Painted in 1875, this bold work depicts three shirtless laborers scraping a parquet floor in a bourgeois Parisian apartment. Caillebotte combined realism's focus on working-class subjects with Impressionism's bright palette and modern perspective. The dramatic floor perspective and cropped composition show Japanese influence and foreshadow photography. Critics initially rejected the painting for showing workers in their undershirts – too vulgar for the refined art world. Yet Caillebotte painted these men with dignity and monumentality, celebrating physical labor. The painting bridges realism and impressionism while offering an unflinching view of class dynamics in modern Paris.

Painted in Paris in 1889, this intense self-portrait shows Van Gogh during a brief stay at the asylum in Saint-Rémy. The swirling background echoes the turbulence in his mind, while his steady gaze suggests determination and self-awareness. Van Gogh painted over 30 self-portraits, partly because he couldn't afford models and partly to explore his own psychology. The thick impasto and energetic brushstrokes convey emotional intensity. The cool blue-green palette contrasts with the warmth of his face and red beard. Painted between mental breakdowns, it's both a psychological document and a testament to his unrelenting creative drive.

Painted in September 1888, this luminous work depicts the Rhône River at Arles under a star-filled night sky. Gas lamps reflect on the water in vibrant yellows and oranges, while the stars shimmer above in Van Gogh's distinctive style. Unlike his more famous "Starry Night," this was painted from direct observation, not imagination. Van Gogh was fascinated by painting night scenes and the challenge of capturing artificial light. The painting radiates with optimism from his happy period in Arles, before the conflicts with Gauguin and mental breakdown. It's a testament to his ability to transform a simple riverside scene into cosmic poetry.