Even though you can see most of the artworks in France in the Louvre, Paris, it is worth visiting another French city, Rouen, to have a complete idea of the art of painting. Rouen has the famous Musée des Beaux-Arts with legendary collections. One of the largest art museums in Normandy was founded in 1801 by the order of the French Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte. It has more than 60 spacious halls that are home to priceless paintings and sculptures created by great masters of the 15-20th centuries, including a rare collection of Russian icons.

However, the first small collection of 244 paintings that formed the basis of the modern museum appeared in the Jesuit Church much earlier – in 1799. The building, decorated with sculptures by Michel Angier and Nicolas Poussin, was built only at the end of the 19th century.

Today, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen houses the masterpieces of such great masters as Ingres and Fragonard, Caravaggio and Perugino, Clouet and Modigliani. There is also the largest collection of Impressionist artists, most of which belonged to the famous French industrialist and philanthropist François Depay. Here you can see the works of all the famous European schools of painting and drawing, but the true treasures of the permanent exhibition are «Adoration of the Magi» by Rubens and «Venus Presenting Arms to Aeneas» by Poussin, «Democritus» by Velasquez and «Rue Saint-Denis» by Monet, as well as Veronese's «Saint Barnabas heals the Sick».

Another pride of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen is the famous collection of works by Théodore Géricault. Although seven of his most famous paintings can only be seen in the Louvre, all the others are in this museum. In addition to works of fine art, the museum displays rare jewelry and antique items, including an old Neapolitan crib of the 18th century.