With Storyteller Peter de Kuster

Introduction: Musée d’Orsay and the Hero’s Journey Experience

Step into the heart of Parisian art and creativity with Peter de Kuster, world-renowned storyteller, for a full-day leadership walking journey through the Musée d’Orsay. Housed in a former Beaux-Arts railway station on the Seine, the Musée d’Orsay is a sanctuary of 19th-century art, home to the world’s greatest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, and many more.

But this is more than a museum tour. It’s an immersive Hero’s Journey experience, where the stories of artists and their works become mirrors for your own creative leadership. As you move through the galleries, you’ll encounter the 12 archetypes alive in the art and artists-and in yourself. You’ll reflect on your own story, because you are the storyteller of your life, and you can create your own legend-or not.

This journey is ideal for creative leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to unlock the power of their personal and professional story in the company of art’s greatest visionaries.

Timeline: The One-Day Leadership Walking Journey

09:30 – 10:00 | Gathering in the Grand Hall: The Ordinary World

• Meet beneath the iconic station clock, surrounded by the grandeur of the former Gare d’Orsay.
• Introduction to the museum’s transformation-from railway hub to temple of art.
• Reflect on your “ordinary world.” What routines or beliefs are you ready to leave behind?

Reflection:
Where does your story begin? What is your “Shire” or comfort zone?

10:00 – 11:00 | The Call to Adventure: Breaking the Mold

• Enter the Impressionist galleries, where Monet, Renoir, and Pissarro reimagined what painting could be.
• Hear the story of the first Impressionist exhibition-a scandal that changed art forever.
• Stand before Monet’s Le Pont d’Argenteuil, Renoir’s Bal du moulin de la Galette, and Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe, which shocked and inspired a generation.

Reflection:
What calls you to adventure in your work or life? What conventions are you ready to challenge?

11:00 – 12:00 | Refusal of the Call: Rejection and Resilience

• Discover how artists like Van Gogh, Cézanne, and Gauguin faced ridicule and isolation.
• Stand before Van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhône and Self-Portrait, feeling the courage it took to paint against the grain.
• Discuss the pain and power of being misunderstood.

Reflection:
When have you resisted change or felt rejected for your ideas? What stories of resilience inspire you?

12:00 – 13:00 | Meeting the Mentor: Inspiration and Guidance

• Visit works by Degas, Cassatt, and Morisot, who found mentors in each other and in the city of Paris.
• Explore how artists collaborated, critiqued, and lifted each other up.
• Pause at Degas’ Little Dancer of Fourteen Years and Cassatt’s The Child’s Bath.

Reflection:
Who are your mentors and allies? Where do you find inspiration and guidance?

13:00 – 14:00 | Lunch Break & Informal Reflection

• Enjoy lunch in the museum’s café, with time for informal conversation and personal journaling.
• Share insights and questions with Peter and fellow participants.

14:00 – 15:00 | Crossing the Threshold: Into New Worlds

• Move into the Symbolist and Post-Impressionist galleries: Gauguin’s Tahiti, Redon’s dreams, Seurat’s pointillism.
• See how these artists crossed thresholds into new worlds of color, form, and meaning.
• Stand before Gauguin’s Arearea and Seurat’s The Circus.

Reflection:
What new territory are you ready to explore? What risks are you willing to take for your vision?

15:00 – 16:00 | Tests, Allies, Enemies: The Struggle for Recognition

• Explore stories of artists who struggled for acceptance: Courbet’s realism, Manet’s scandals, Rousseau’s naiveté.
• Witness the battles fought in the salons and cafés of Paris.
• Reflect on Manet’s Olympia, Courbet’s The Artist’s Studio, and Rousseau’s The Snake Charmer.

Reflection:
Who are your allies and adversaries? What tests your resolve and creativity?

16:00 – 17:00 | The Ordeal and the Reward: Triumphs and Legacies

• Experience the emotional climax in the Van Gogh gallery: from The Church at Auvers to Bedroom in Arles.
• Discuss the rewards of perseverance, the pain of the creative ordeal, and the legacy left behind.
• Celebrate the breakthroughs that changed art-and the world.

Reflection:
What ordeals have defined your journey? What wisdom or gifts have you gained from your struggles?

17:00 – 17:30 | The Return with the Elixir: Writing Your Own Legend

• Gather in the museum’s café or terrace, overlooking the Seine.
• Discuss the 12 archetypes-Innocent, Orphan, Hero, Caregiver, Explorer, Rebel, Lover, Creator, Jester, Sage, Magician, Ruler-and how they appear in the stories of the artists and your own.
• Receive a personal reflection guide to continue your journey.

Reflection:
What “elixir” will you bring back to your world? How will you use your story to inspire others?

The 12 Archetypes at Musée d’Orsay: Mirrors for Creative Leaders

Archetype	Musée d’Orsay Example	Leadership Reflection
Innocent	Renoir’s joyful scenes	Keep hope and wonder alive
Orphan	Van Gogh’s loneliness	Find belonging and resilience
Hero	Monet, Cézanne, and the Impressionists	Step up to challenge convention
Caregiver	Cassatt’s maternal portraits	Nurture others and yourself
Explorer	Gauguin’s journeys to Tahiti	Embrace new experiences and perspectives
Rebel	Manet’s Olympia, Courbet’s realism	Break the rules to create change
Lover	Romantic themes in art and life	Let passion guide your vision
Creator	Seurat’s pointillism, artistic innovation	Build your legacy through creativity
Jester	Toulouse-Lautrec’s cabaret posters	Use humor to connect and endure
Sage	The wisdom in Degas’ and Morisot’s work	Seek and share insight
Magician	Odilon Redon’s dreamscapes	Transform reality through imagination
Ruler	The power of the Salon and the art market	Lead with vision and responsibility

Conclusion: The Masterpiece Is You

The Musée d’Orsay is not just a gallery of paintings. It is a living testament to the courage, resilience, and vision of artists who dared to see the world differently-and to paint it anew. As creative leaders, you are the protagonist of your own legend. This journey is an invitation to see yourself reflected in the masterpieces around you, and to claim your own power as storyteller and creator.

You are the storyteller of your own life. Will you create your legend, or let it be written by others?

Questions to Take Away

• Where does your story begin, and what “call to adventure” are you hearing now?
• Who are your mentors, allies, and adversaries?
• What ordeals have shaped your character and your vision?
• What “elixir” or wisdom will you bring back to your team and community?
• How will you blend your past, present, and future to create your own legend?

Price and Details

The Masterpiece Within: One-Day Leadership Walking Journey at Musée d’Orsay

• Duration: 1 day (09:30 – 17:30)
• Guide: Peter de Kuster, world-famous storyteller
• Includes: Guided walk, storytelling at key works, reflection guide, coffee/tea and lunch at the museum café
• Price: € 950 per person (excl. VAT)
• Private and group tours available

Contact:
peter@wearesomeone.nl

Step into the masterpiece. Discover the stories of art, and the story of yourself.