The Louvre Museum – Exhibits You Need to Check Out
The Louvre Museum holds some of the finest art ever conceived in the western world with some of history’s most revered pieces of art, such as the Mona Lisa and Vénus de Milo, being on display here. The Louvre, which was at one point in time a palace for the kings of France, is now the largest museum in the world, boasting an exhibition space of 73,000 square metres divided into three sections, the Deno, Richelieu, and Sully wings.
With more than 70 rooms in each wing displaying a host of iconic and awe-inspiring art and a multitude of halls filled with magnificent sculptures, there’s a truly dizzying amount of beauty to witness in this brilliant museum. Visiting the Louvre is something that any visitor to Paris needs to do, though with so much to see, going in blind can be quite daunting. To help a bit with that, here are a few amazing exhibits you should definitely check out.
Les Noces de Cana by Véronèse in the Denon Wing, Room 711
Les Noces de Cana was created by Paola Caliari in 1563 on the commission of the Benedictine San Giorgio Maggiore Monastery in Venice. As Lourve’s largest painting, it covers an area of 60 square metres, taking up an entire wall from floor to ceiling. The painting is said to be of masterful composition, depicting the biblical event of the wedding at Cana where the miracle of water being turned to wine was said to have been performed. It’s quite an astounding piece, one that is sure to have you in awe at the immense deviation required to perfectly capture such a massive scene.
Chevaux de Marly in the Richelieu Wing Cour Marly
Commissioned by King Louis XIV for the Château de Marly horse pond, the Chevaux de Marly is a Carrara marble sculpture that depicts two massive horses restrained by grooms. Guillaume Coustou, the sculptor, was inspired by the statues found in front of the Quirinal Palace in Rome, statues that depict demigods, Pollux and Castor, fighting to tame their horses. Both the work and its inspiration symbolize a struggle between man and nature.
Victoire de Samothrace in the Denon Wing, Room 703
Situated atop the grand Daru Staircase, this Hellenistic masterpiece is a monumental sculpture that is stunning to behold. The Victoire de Samothrace features the Goddess of Victory, Nike, perched in a dignified stance on the prow of a ship, in order to help the craft sail safely through the story winds. It’s an amazingly detailed sculpture, so much so that you’d be hard-pressed to believe it was created 2000 years ago. The detail on display gives the sculpture the appearance of being drenched in water in a remarkably accurate way, a true testament to the skill of its creator.
La Liberté Guidant le Peuple in the Denon Wing, Room 700
This evocative painting showcases an important event in French history, the Parisian uprising that occurred in July of 1830. La Liberté Guidant le Peuple, which translates to Liberty Guiding the People, was painted to highlight the values of the Revolution of 1789 as the artist, Delacroix, was a strong believer in the cause.
The symbolic painting depicts a woman, heralded as a figure of liberty, standing tall and strong amongst a warring background. With a French flag in her hand and her figure bathed in light, she imbues a spirit of strength and determination to all those who witness her. Gaze upon this piece yourself and you’ll see how inspiring a painting it is, one that clearly radiates with its creator’s passion.
