Monet, painting time : the exhibition at the Musée de l'Orangerie

, published on November 08 2026

One hundred years ago, the world-renowned French painter Claude Monet passed away. To mark the anniversary, the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris invites visitors to view his work through a new lens: that of time, which the painter never ceased to capture, stretch and fragment. The exhibition « Monet, Painting Time » is on view until 25 January 2027. A wonderful excuse for a cultural getaway in the capital, with Hôtel Fabric as your starting point.

Monet, a century later

Monet took part in only five of the Impressionist exhibitions, yet he remains the artist most closely associated with the movement. His painting brings together all its defining features: working outdoors, rapid brushstrokes and luminous harmonies that capture the impression of a moment.

The Orangerie offers an original interpretation of Monet’s work through his relationship with duration. Nearly forty paintings are brought together, mostly from the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Marmottan Monet, supplemented by loans from French and international public and private collections.

A journey in three stages

The exhibition follows the evolution of Monet’s painting against the backdrop of the upheavals of his time.

A century gathering pace. Clocks multiplied in public spaces, railways expanded and cities were transformed: the 19th century found a new rhythm. The Impressionists’ quest for immediacy responded to this new perception of time.
Series, or time in fragments. From the 1890s onwards, Monet returned to the same subject at different times of day. Haystacks, poplars on the banks of the Epte, morning mists on the Seine, Rouen Cathedral: he pursued his exploration of the instant to the point of dividing time in order to reveal its essence.
Water Lilies, or time regained. This final great cycle accompanied him until the end of his life, with more than 250 canvases devoted to a single theme. It transcends the fragmentation of the series to rediscover a continuity akin to the “duration” cherished by the philosopher Henri Bergson.

Why the Orangerie?

Because the museum houses the great Water Lilies ensembles, offered to the French state in the aftermath of the 1918 Armistice and inaugurated in 1927, one year after Monet’s death. André Masson called them the “Sistine Chapel of Impressionism”. Once you have finished the exhibition, continue into the two oval rooms, where the panels, conceived as a space in their own right, surround you.

Good to know: the exhibition will then travel to Tate Modern in London, from 25 February to 27 June 2027. In France, this is therefore the only opportunity to see it, and it ends in late January.

Practical information

Until 25 January 2027
Musée de l’Orangerie, Tuileries Garden, Place de la Concorde (Seine side), 75001 Paris
Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, except Tuesdays

Find out more

Throughout the exhibition, the museum offers guided tours, including one in English, the virtual reality experience Claude Monet, Along the Water, and workshop tours for children aged 6 to 12, such as “In Pursuit of Time with Monet”.

Your stay at Hôtel Fabric

To visit the exhibition with complete peace of mind, Hôtel Fabric offers you a comfortable address to return to after a day in Paris. You can even choose the late opening on Friday, then make your way back peacefully in the evening. Book on our official website to enjoy our best rates.