At the turn of the 20th century, this cafe had a collection of art on its walls that rivaled the finest museums in the world.
La Rotonde was always a hangout for intellectuals and artists. Picasso spent much of his time there, as did Modigliani and Diego Rivera. Artists were often too poor to buy more than a cup of coffee, so the cafe oftener allowed them to pay with one of their paintings and then pick it up again when they had the money for the meal. Many artists chose to leave their paintings as payment instead of buying them back, and the walls became covered in drawings from artists who would go on to achieve fame and fortune. Today, La Rotonde is still a cafe for Parisian intellectuals. Some have already made their way in the world, while others are developing and discovering their talents. La Rotonde continues its century long tradition of being a central hub for influencing the world.