The Musée d'Orsay houses the world's leading collection of French Impressionist art. It presents paintings, sculptures, works of art design, graphics, photography, as well as models, components and architectural designs and furniture.

The boundary dates of the works included in the collection were adopted - the year 1848 - the beginning of the Second French Republic and 1914 - the beginning of the First World War. In addition to Impressionism, the collection includes various works of almost all styles of the period and many individual artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries.