On July 2010, I went to France for the first time with my traditional dance team, Aruna Chandrika, joining Romans Folklore Festival in Lyonn. After spending a week in our dorm and performing our shows in the festival, we went on tour around Europe for vacation. We visited a number of countries in Europe such as France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Venice, and Italy.
And now, I would like to share my experience when I was visiting an incredible- well-known museum in Paris called Louvre. Enjoy!
"Louvre Museum"
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| The Louvre Museum, Paris, France |
Originally a royal palace, the Louvre became a public museum at the end of the 18th century. It is located in the 1st district, at the heart of Paris. There are about 35.000 objects on display, spread out over three wings of the former palace. The museum has a diverse collection ranging from the antiquity up to the mid 19th century. A large part of the collection consists of European paintings and sculptures. Other rooms contain Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Oriental art. There is also a section with 'Objects d'Art', where objects such as clocks, furniture, china and tapestries are displayed.
Some of the most famous works of art in the museum are the Venus of Milo, the Nike of Samothrake, the Dying Slave by Michelangelo and of course Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, which will be briefly explained later at the next chapter!
"History Of Louvre"
The Louvre Palace (Palais du Louvre) which houses the museum was begun as a fortress by Philip II in the 12th century, with remnants of this building still visible in the crypt. Whether this was the first building on that spot is not known, but it is possible that Philip modified an existing tower. Although some believe that the word 'louvre' may refer to the structure's status as the largest in late 12th century Paris – or to its location in a forest – one finds in the authoritative Larousse that it derives from an association with wolf hunting den.
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| Me, and The Louvre Museum on July 2010! |
The Louvre Palace was altered frequently throughout the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, Charles V converted the building into a residence and in 1546,Francis I renovated the site in French Renaissance style. Francis acquired what would become the nucleus of the Louvre's holdings, his acquisitions including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. After Louis XIV chose Versailles as his residence in 1682, constructions slowed; however, the move permitted the Louvre to be used as a residence for artists.
By the mid-18th century there was an increasing number of proposals to create a public gallery, with Lafont Saint-Yenne publishing, in 1747, a call for a display of the royal collection's. On 14 October 1750, Louis XV agreed and sanctioned a display of 96 pieces from the royal collection, mounted in theGalerie royale de peinture of the Luxembourg Palace. A hall was opened by Le Normant de Tournehem and the Marquis de Marigny for public viewing of the Tableaux du Roy on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and contained Andrea del Sarto's Charity and works by Raphael, Titian, Veronese, Rembrandt, Poussin or Van Dyck, until its closing in 1780 as a result of the gift of the palace to the comte de Provence by the king in 1778.
Under Louis XVI, the royal museum idea became policy. The comte d'Angiviller broadened the collection and in 1776 proposed conversion of the Grande Galerieof the Louvre – which contained maps – into the "French Museum".Many proposals were offered for the Louvre's renovation into a museum, however none was agreed on. Hence the museum remained incomplete until the French Revolution.
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| The Louvre Museum at night |
During the French Revolution the Louvre was transformed into a public museum. In May 1791, the Assembly declared that the Louvre would be "a place for bringing together monuments of all the sciences and arts". On 10 August 1792, Louis XVI was imprisoned and the royal collection in the Louvre became national property. Because of fear of vandalism or theft, on 19 August, the National Assembly pronounced the museum's preparation as urgent. In October, a committee to "preserve the national memory" began assembling the collection for display.
The museum opened on 10 August 1793, the first anniversary of the monarchy's demise. The public was given free access on three days per week, which was "perceived as a major accomplishment and was generally appreciated". The collection showcased 537 paintings and 184 objects of art. Three quarters were derived from the royal collections, the remainder from confiscated émigrés and Church property.To expand and organize the collection, the Republic dedicated 100,000 livres per year. In 1794, France's revolutionary armies began bringing pieces from across Europe, such asLaocoön and His Sons and the Apollo Belvedere, to establish the Louvre as a museum and as a "sign of popular sovereignty".
"The Glass Pyramid"
THIS is my favourite part of the Louvre Museum! I think this huge things called Glass Pyramid is one of those collection which makes the museum looks gorgeous. Although, sadly, I wasn’t able to go inside the Glass Pyramid because of some reason. First, it was raining that day when I was there, plus, we didn’t have enough time to explore more. But that doesnt matter J I got lots of information about this incredible construction from the internet.
The Glass Pyramid, which functions as the museum's main entrance, was built in 1989 by the renowned American architect I.M. Pei. The pyramid and its underground lobby were inaugurated on 15 October 1988. The second phase of the Grand Louvre plan, La Pyramide Inversée (The Inverted Pyramid), was completed in 1993. As of 2002, attendance had doubled since completion The glass pyramid allows the sunlight to come in on the underground floor.
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| The Glass Pyramid of Louvre Museum |
By 1874, the Louvre Palace had achieved its present form of an almost rectangular structure with the Sully Wing to the east containing the square Cour Carrée and the oldest parts of the Louvre; and two wings which wrap the Cour Napoléon, the Richelieu Wing to the north and the Denon Wing, which borders the Seine to the south. In 1983, French President François Mitterrand proposed, as one of the Grands Projets of François Mitterrand the Grand Louvre plan to renovate the building and relocate the Finance Ministry, allowing displays throughout the building. Architect I. M. Pei was awarded the project and proposed a glass pyramid to stand over a new entrance in the main court, the Cour Napoléon.
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| Inside the Glass Pyramid |
The pyramid structure was engineered by Nicolet Chartrand Knoll Ltd. of Montreal (Pyramid structure / Design Consultant) and Rice Francis Ritch (also known as RFR) of Paris (Pyramid Structure / Construction Phase). The pyramid and the underground lobby beneath it were created because of a series of problems with the Louvre's original main entrance, which could no longer handle an enormous number of visitors on an everyday basis. Visitors entering through the pyramid descend into the spacious lobby then re-ascend into the main Louvre buildings.
For design historian Mark Pimlott, "I.M. Pei’s plan distributes people effectively from the central concourse to myriad destinations within its vast subterranean network... the architectonic framework evokes, at gigantic scale, an ancient atrium of a Pompeiian villa; the treatment of the opening above, with its tracery of engineered castings and cables, evokes the atria of corporate office buildings; the busy movement of people from all directions suggests the concourses of rail termini or international airports.
Several other museums have duplicated this concept, most notably the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. The construction work on the pyramid base and underground lobby was carried out by the Vinci construction company.
The modern addition originally received mixed reviews, as it contrasts sharply with the classical design of the surrounding buildings, but today it is generally accepted as a clever solution which has given the museum a spacious central entrance without the need to touch the historic patrimony.
"MONA LISA"
I think this name is well-known in the world, and almost everyone knows about it. The Mona Lisa is widely recognized as the most famous painting in the history of art. It is a portrait by the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. It is a painting in oil on a poplar panel, completed circa 1503–1519. The painting is a half-length portrait and depicts a seated woman, Lisa del Giocondo, whose facial expression has been frequently described as enigmatic. The ambiguity of the subject's expression, the monumentality of the composition, and the subtle modeling of forms and atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of the work. The image is widely recognised, caricatured, and sought out by visitors to the Louvre, and it is considered the most famous painting in the world.
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| The Mona Lisa Painting |
It was really crowded in the spot where the Mona Lisa is hung. People gathered around the painting and tried to take pictures even though actually there is a sign that camera is not allowed to use in there. To avoid any damage , the Mona Lisa is protected with a barrier which is not allowed for people to go through. It is also protected by bullet-proof glass almost two centimetres thick, and also contained in a special sealed box to protect it from vibrations and humidity. I was having difficulty to see the painting clearly because of the crowd, but I could finally take some pictures.
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| Me and the Monalisa on July 2010 |
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| Me, my friends, and another collection of Louvre |
That is all I can inform you about the Louvre Museum. Thank you for reading! :)
(special thanks to our precious source: www.wikipedia.com)
BY: INAS RARAS MAHENINGTYAS
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