I’m giving myself permission to go on for awhile about the wonderful Paris exhibit currently in the Petit Palais, “Paris 1900.” Actually, if I had the means and the time, I’d hop a plane to Paris to see it again.  It closes August 17, 2014.  Hint:  go online and get advance tickets.  I saw it on my last day in Paris in April, had not planned ahead, and waited in line about 45 minutes.  I imagine the wait would be longer now.  The good thing is that only a certain number of visitors are allowed in at a time, so it will not be mobbed like the Louvre  and the Orsay in summer.

Exciting artists like Cezanne, Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, Vuillard, Maillol, Denis, and Rodin are featured in the fine arts section. Art Nouveau masterpieces abound.

The building itself is glorious.  It is the only remaining complete building from the Paris Exposition 1900, and it gives some idea of the pre-World War I exuberance of Paris. The future seemed limitless to the 51million tourists who attended the Exposition. That is a stupendous number of people, at a time when the Metro had just opened and travel was much more difficult than it is today.

There’s a beautiful plant-filled inner courtyard, which allows light into the large building.

The galleries on the main floor contain a permanent collection which is interesting in itself.  Everything seems spacious, light and airy.

A link to the exhibit is at

http://www.petitpalais.paris.fr/en/expositions/paris-1900-city-entertainment