The view from the Garden café at Petit palais, entrance is free

The fabulous exhibition of “Les Hollandais à Paris” is ending next week with record numbers of visitors and as an intermission show, Christophe Leribault, director of le Petit Palais, is showing photographs by young artists in residence who have recorded renovations in the museum and at the Grand Palais. It is fun to see contemporary works in this very 19 th century space.

Hélène Langlois in front of Jean Jacques Henner, “Eglogue”, 1879

Architecture photos by Stéphane Couturier are hanging in a room next to Jean Christophe Ballot who had previously spent 12 years at the Louvre recording the evolution of the museum in four different books. His interpretation of statues and paintings is just astounding.

Jean Christophe Ballot, Petit Palais, 2009-2010

The photographer Flore shows a series of more abstract and intimate details. The exhibition is downstairs and allows you to visit upstairs the new galleries of sculpture which are beautifully organized.

The main sculpture gallery with a patinated plaster by Esnest Barrias, “Maria Deraismes”, 1898

The showing of more sculptures from the reserves of the museum corresponds to the 19 th century taste: there were sculptures on the street of Paris for everyone to admire great figures. Thirty large plasters will, little by little, be shown in the galleries among the paintings and furniture. “La Porteuse de pain” (the bread carrier) by Jules Coutan, author of a statue on bridge Alexandre III,  is very representative of the small occupations of people in Paris when bread was brought to houses several times a day. Jules Dalou‘s “Grand Paysan” was a study for a large Monument to workers that was never realized.

Hélène Langlois, L’Antre deux, 2003-2005

the museum has never been prettier and it is a delight to have a quick lunch in the gardens. Entrance is free. The show is curated by Susana Gàllego Cuesta, who is in charge of the collection of 1 700 photographs owned by the museum.

Until July 8, Le Petit Palais and Le Jardin du Petit palais café for light meals.