Famous artists of the Louvre. The main masterpieces of the Louvre (17 photos)

The average visitor to the Louvre runs through dozens of halls with 6,000 paintings within 3-4 hours. And he leaves with a sore head and buzzing legs.

I propose an option with a more interesting result: 1.5 hours of easy walking through the halls, which definitely will not bring you to physical exhaustion. But it will give you aesthetic pleasure.

I visited many museums in five countries on two continents. And I know that 1.5 hours and 5-7 key pictures with preliminary preparation can bring much more pleasure and benefit than the classic running around on the principle “I was there and saw something.”

I will guide you through the key masterpieces, the main milestones of painting from Antiquity to the 18th century.

Yes, we will not run with you straight to the Mona Lisa. First of all, let's look at the 3rd century AD.

1. Fayum portrait of a young woman. 3rd century

An ordinary tourist in 98% of cases will not begin his run through the Louvre with this “Portrait of a Young Woman.” But they don’t even realize how unique this work is. So don't miss the opportunity to take a look at it.

In the 3rd century AD, a girl from a noble family sits in front of the artist. She put on the most expensive jewelry. She thinks about death. But for her there is nothing terrible about the end of earthly life. She will continue to live in the afterlife.

The portrait is needed in case her soul wants to return to her body. Therefore, the artist will paint it realistically, so that the soul recognizes its bodily shell. Just draw the eyes big, because the soul will fly back through them.

This portrait will make you think about the eternal. After all, the girl was able to immortalize herself. Our photographs are not capable of this. In 1800 years, there will definitely be nothing left of them.

2. Jan Van Eyck. Madonna of Chancellor Rolin. 15th century

If you saw a reproduction of “The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” before the Louvre, then the original will greatly surprise you.

The fact is that Van Eyck carefully worked out all the details. It’s as if it’s not a painting, but a piece of jewelry. You will see every stone in Madonna's crown. Not to mention the hundreds of figures and houses in the background.

Surely you thought that the canvas was huge, otherwise how to fit all these details. In reality it is small. About half a meter long and wide.

Chancellor Rolin sits opposite the artist and also thinks about death. They say about him that he made so many people poor that in their old age he built an orphanage for them.

But he believes that he has a chance to go to heaven. And Van Eyck will help him with this. He will write it next to Madonna, using all his innovations. AND oil paints, and the illusion of perspective, and stunning landscapes.

In an attempt to seek the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Chancellor Rolin immortalized himself.

Meanwhile, we take our hats off to Van Eyck. After all, he was the first since the Fayum portraits to begin depicting his contemporaries. Moreover, not conditionally, but with their transfer individual traits.

3. Leonardo da Vinci. Mona Lisa. 16th century

If you go to the Louvre on a weekday morning, you have a chance to get a closer look at the Mona Lisa. She's worth it. Because this is the first painting that creates the illusion of a living person.

A Florentine lady sits opposite Leonardo. He chats and jokes casually. Everything to make her relax and smile at least a little.

The artist assured her husband that the portrait of his wife would be difficult to distinguish from her living one. And it’s true how interesting he shaded the lines and applied shadows to the corners of the lips and eyes. One gets the feeling that the lady in the portrait is about to speak.

Often people are perplexed: yes, it seems that Mona Lisa is about to breathe. But such realistic portraits complete. Take for example the works of Van Dyck or Rembrandt.

But they lived 150 years later. And Leonardo was the first to “revive” a human image. This is why the Mona Lisa is valuable.

Peter Paul Rubens. Arrival of Marie de' Medici in Marseille. 17th century

In the Louvre you will find the Medici Hall. All its walls are hung with huge canvases. These are the picturesque memoirs of Marie de Medici. Only those written under her dictation by the great.

Marie de Medici stands in front of Rubens in a breathtaking dress.

Today the artist began to paint the next chapter of her life - “Arrival in Marseille”. Once upon a time she arrived by ship to her husband’s homeland.

Marie de' Medici had just made peace with her son, the King of France. And this cycle of paintings should elevate her in the eyes of the courtiers.

And for this, her life should not look ordinary, but worthy of the gods. Only Rubens can cope with such a task. Who better than him can depict the sparkling gold of the ship and the delicate skin of the Nereids? The royal court will be stunned by the image of the king's rehabilitated mother.

Smells like a cheap novel. The artist was constrained in self-expression. But Maria de Medici set a condition: her “novel” must be written only by Rubens’ hand. No apprentices or apprentices.

So if you want to see the hand of a master, go to the Medici Hall.

Antoine Watteau. Pilgrimage to the island of Kythera. 18 century

“Pilgrimage to the Island of Cythera” by Watteau will immerse you in light world flirting and love bliss.

Never before has painting been as airy and vibrant as in the Rococo era. And it was Watteau who laid the foundations of this style. Relaxed stories. Light colors. Thin and small strokes.

A young couple poses for an artist in a nearby park. He asks them to hug, pretend to have a nice conversation, or take a leisurely walk. Watteau says he will depict 8 couples in love.

Despite the ease of the plot and technique, Watteau works on the painting for a long time. 5 long years. Too many orders.

The French really liked Watteau's gallant scenes. It’s so nice to plunge into the atmosphere of simple joys. Don’t think about saving your soul or about hitting your descendants. And live for today and enjoy light conversation.

Conclusion

The Louvre is a place where you can take a fascinating journey through the history of painting. You will not only get aesthetic pleasure, but also see what different tasks The painting was performed in different eras.

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220 years ago, on August 10, 1793, the Louvre opened to visitors. The building itself has undergone many transformations over almost ten centuries, from a dark 12th-century fortress to the palace of the Sun King and the most popular and famous museum in the world. Today's Louvre has several hundred thousand exhibits, four floors with exhibitions with a total area of ​​60,600 square meters(Hermitage - 62,324 sq.m.). For comparison: this is almost two and a half Red Squares (23,100 sq. m.) and more than eight football fields of the Luzhniki Stadium (field area - 7,140 sq. m.).

“There is something to see in the Louvre,” everyone knows that. And, perhaps, almost everyone will name the main exhibits of the museum: “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci, Nike of Samothrace and Venus de Milo, the stele with the laws of Hamurappi, etc., etc. Last year, according to official data, the museum was visited by more than nine and a half million people , there are legends about the crowds besieging the Mona Lisa, as well as about pickpockets in the Louvre, and travel sites advise preparing for its visit almost like a hike: take food with you, choose comfortable clothes and shoes.

Abandoning the formal approach, the Weekend project selected ten exhibits of the Louvre, no less famous and beautiful than those listed above, which could easily be overlooked by not the most attentive or knowledgeable tourist.

Mythological demon ("Marked").
Bactria.
End of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd millennium BC.

Richelieu wing, ground floor (-1). Art of the Ancient East (Iran and Bactria). Hall No. 9.

Ancient artifacts traditionally attract less attention than the creations of great artists and sculptors. Looking at many small exhibits, and often even fragments of something, is considered the lot of “fans”. And in the windows of the Richelieu wing with an area of ​​22 thousand square meters, it is simply impossible to notice a small figurine, slightly less than 12 centimeters high, while running. This “iron man” comes from Bactria and is more than 5 thousand years old (dated to the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 3rd millennium BC) Bactria is a state founded by the Greeks after the aggressive campaigns of Alexander the Great in the region of Northern Afghanistan at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th millennium BC. era. To date, only four completely preserved such figurines have been found, one of them was acquired by the Louvre in 1961. It is believed that they were found in Iran, near the city of Shiraz. It is not known for certain who the sculpture depicts. Scientists have dubbed this mysterious character “The Marked One.” : his face is disfigured by a long scar. According to researchers, the scar symbolized some kind of ritual, destructive action. The body, covered with a short loincloth, is covered with snake scales and emphasizes the snake-like character of the character. This suggests that this is how the anthropomorphic dragon demon, who was worshiped in Asia, was depicted. Who these “marked ones” are, one can only guess; apparently they personified spirits, perhaps good, perhaps evil.

Mattress Hermaphrodite

Sleeping Hermaphrodite.
Roman copy from the original of the 2nd century AD. e. (mattress added by Bernini in the 17th century)

Wing Sully, ground floor (1). Hall No. 17 Hall of the Caryatids.

If you definitely won’t miss the Venus de Milo located in the same hall; the crowd of tourists surrounding it is a good landmark, then you can easily miss the “Sleeping Hermaphrodite” located nearby if you take a wrong turn. According to legend, the son of Hermes and Aphrodite was a very handsome young man, and the nymph Salmacis, who was in love with him, asked the gods to unite them in one body. This sculpture, considered a Roman copy of a Greek original from the 2nd century AD. e., ended up in a museum in early XIX century from the collection of the Borghese family. In 1807, Napoleon asked Prince Camillo Borghese, his son-in-law, to sell some items from the collection. For obvious reasons, it was impossible to refuse the emperor’s offer. The marble mattress and pillow on which Hermaphrodite reclines were added in 1620 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a Baroque sculptor whose patron was Cardinal Borghese. However, this detail rather emphasizes the anecdotal side of the composition, which was hardly the intention of the Greek author. There is also a belief associated with the sculpture, which museum guides sometimes talk about: allegedly, men who touch a sleeping person thereby increase their virility.

"Basin" of Saint Louis

Chalice - "Font of Saint Louis". (in the photo a fragment is one of the medallions)
Syria or Egypt, around 1320-1340.

The Baptistery (or baptismal font) of St. Louis is listed among the most important exhibits on the ground floor, but few people have the strength to come down here after visiting the main attractions of the museum. Made of brass and trimmed with silver and gold, the bowl is considered a masterpiece of art from the Mamluk times; it previously belonged to the treasures of the Sainte-Chapelle chapel, and in 1832 it became part of the museum’s collection. This large basin was part of the French royal collection, inside you can see the coat of arms of France attached. It actually served as a baptismal font for Louis XIII and the son of Napoleon III, but not for Saint Louis IX, despite the name that was “stuck” on it. This item was created much later: it dates back to 1320-1340, and Louis IX died in 1270.

Shah Abbas and his page

Muhamad Kazim.
Portrait of Shah Abbas I and his page (Shah Abbas hugging his page).
Iran, Isfahan, March 12, 1627

Denon wing, ground floor. Hall of Islamic Art.

In the same hall it is worth paying attention to quite famous drawing, depicting Shah Abbas and his cupbearer page, who looks more like a girl. Abbas I (1587-1629) is the most significant representative of the Safivid dynasty, considered the founders of modern Iran. During his reign art reaches the peak of its development, images become more realistic and dynamic. In this drawing, Shah Abbas is depicted wearing a wide-brimmed conical hat, which he introduced into fashion, next to a young page handing him a cup of wine. Under the crown of the tree, on the right, is the name of the artist - Muhammad Kazim (one of the most famous masters of that time and, apparently, the court artist of Abbas) - and a short poem: “May life give you what you desire from three lips: your lover, the river and the cup.” In the foreground is a stream whose water was once silvered. The poem can also be interpreted symbolically; in the Persian tradition there were many poems addressed to the cupbearer. The drawing was acquired by the museum in 1975.

Portrait of the Good King

Unknown artist of the Parisian school.
Portrait of John II the Good, King of France.
Around 1350

Richelieu wing, second floor. French painting. Hall No. 1.

This painting unknown artist mid-14th century is considered the oldest individual portrait in European art. Early masters French painting began to be studied relatively recently, in the second half of the 19th century, and most of their works were lost during wars and revolutions. The reign of John the Good, which came during the Hundred Years' War, was not easy: defeated by the British at the Battle of Poitiers, he was captured and imprisoned in London, where he signed an agreement on his abdication. According to legend, the portrait was painted in the Tower of London, and the authorship is attributed to Girard d'Orléans. Interesting fact: He became the last French monarch to bear the name John.

Madonna in the "corridor"

Leonardo da Vinci.
Madonna of the Rocks.
1483-1486.

Denon Wing, Grand Gallery, first floor. Italian painting. Hall No. 5.

Large gallery of the Denon wing, in addition famous scene from Jean-Luc Godard's film "Band of Outsiders" with heroes running through the Louvre, it is known for the fact that the beautiful Leonardo Madonna and many other works by Italian painters, including Caravaggio, hang here "unnoticed by anyone." “Not noticed by anyone”, this is, of course, said loudly, the same “Madonna of the Rocks” is one of the most famous paintings in the world, and, nevertheless, having started their race with the finish line at the Mona Lisa, tourists, unfortunately, often pass by this great job worth standing by an extra pair minutes. There are two versions of this painting. The one kept in the Louvre was painted between 1483-86, and the first mention of it (in the inventory of the French royal collection) dates back to 1627. The second, which belongs to the London National Gallery, was painted later in 1508. The painting was the central part of a triptych intended for the Milan church of San Francesco Grande, but was never given to the customer, for whom the artist painted a second, London version. The scene, full of tenderness and peace, contrasts with the strange landscape of steep rocks; the geometry of the composition, soft halftones, as well as the famous “haze” of sfumato create an unusual depth in the space of this picture. Well, we can’t help but mention another “version” of the content of this picture, which several years ago tormented the minds of fans of Dan Brown, who turned the content of the picture upside down.

Looking for fleas

Giuseppe Maria Crespi.
Woman looking for fleas.
Around 1720-1725

Denon wing, first floor. Italian painting. Hall No. 19 (halls at the end of the Great Gallery).

The painting by the Bolognese Giuseppe Maria Crespi is one of the museum's recent acquisitions, received as a gift from the Society of Friends of the Louvre. Crespi was a big fan Dutch painting, and genre scenes in particular. Existing in several versions, "Woman Looking for Fleas" was apparently part of a series of paintings (now lost) telling the story of the life of one singer from the beginning of her career to recent years when she became devout. Such works are by no means central to the artist’s work, but they provide to modern man a vivid representation of the realities of that time, when not a single decent person could do without a flea trap.

Cripples, don't despair

Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Cripples.
1568

Richelieu wing, second floor. Painting of the Netherlands. Hall No. 12.

This small work by the elder Bruegel (only 18.5 by 21.5 cm) is the only one in the entire Louvre. It’s easy not to notice it, and not only because of its size, the recognition effect - “if there are a lot of little people in the picture, then it’s Bruegel” - may not work here right away. The work was donated to the museum in 1892, and during this time many interpretations of the painting's plot were born. Some saw it as a reflection on the innate weakness of human nature, others as social satire (the carnival headdresses of the characters can symbolize the king, bishop, burgher, soldier and peasant), or criticism of the policies pursued in Flanders by Philip II. However, no one has yet undertaken to explain the character with a bowl in his hands (in the background), as well as the fox tails on the characters’ clothes, although some see here a hint of the annual festival of beggars, Koppermaandag. Adding to the mystery of the picture is the inscription on the back, which viewers do not see: “Cripples, do not despair, and your affairs can prosper.”

One of the most famous paintings It’s not that they don’t know Hieronymus Bosch by sight. Perhaps its location is not in favor of the work here: not far from the entrance to the small hall, and even with such neighbors as Albrecht Dürer’s “Self-Portrait” and Van Eyck’s “Madonna of Chancellor Rolin”, and not far from the d’Estrai sisters, it’s unusual composition of this work by unknown French artist- naked ladies sitting in the bathtub, one of whom pinches the other's nipple - made the painting no less a popular exhibit than La Gioconda itself. But back to Bosch, those who look around carefully will never miss him. “Ship of Fools” is part of an unsurvived triptych, the lower fragment of which is now considered to be “Allegory of Gluttony and Voluptuousness” from Art gallery Yale University. It is assumed that “Ship of Fools” is the first of the artist’s compositions on the theme of the evils of society. Bosch likens the corrupt society and clergy to madmen who are crowded into an uncontrollable boat and are rushing towards their destruction. The painting was donated to the Louvre by composer and art critic Camille Benois in 1918.

A must-see for a visit to the Louvre are two “Dutch pearls of its collection” - the paintings by Johannes Vermeer “The Lacemaker” and “The Astronomer”. But his predecessor Pieter de Hooch, whose “Drinker” hangs in the same room, often escapes the attention of the average tourist. And yet this work is worth paying attention to, and not only because of the thoughtful perspective and lively composition, the artist managed to convey the subtle shades of the relationships between the characters in the picture. Each participant in this gallant scene is assigned a specific role: the soldier pours a drink for a young woman who is no longer sober, his comrade sitting by the window is a simple observer, but the second woman is clearly a pimp who seems to be bargaining at this moment. The meaning of the scene is also hinted at by the picture in the background depicting Christ and a sinner.

Prepared by Natalya Popova

Floor numbers are given in European tradition, i.e. the ground floor is the Russian first.

The Parisian residence of the French kings has long been the richest collection of masterpieces of world art for a whole millennium. The museum’s exposition cannot be viewed in one day, but an “organized” tourist only has one day to explore this museum.

As for the sculpture presented in the museum, the most reasonable thing is to focus on the main masterpieces of plastic art, around which the greatest attention of visitors is concentrated. Expositions of the French treasury are located in chronological order, each section has something not to be missed.

Ancient Egypt

Antiquity

Middle Ages

Renaissance

Baroque, Rococo and Classicism

In addition to this undoubted masterpiece, the museum’s halls are full of excellent examples of sculpture from the 18th and 19th centuries: numerous interior works, a series of sculptural portraits. Great names, great works. This section of the Louvre is unusually extensive.

Unfortunately, the Louvre practically does not represent modern art and modern sculpture. But in Paris there is a museum entirely dedicated to this period in the history of art.

Worldwide famous museum The Louvre attracts millions of tourists every year. The works of the Louvre are a superbly compiled collection that allows you to trace the entire history of art. There are undeniable masterpieces here that every person who claims to be educated should know and see at least once in his life.

Founding of the Louvre

On August 10, 1793, one of the major museums world - Louvre. The idea of ​​creating a public museum with display arose after french revolution, when it was decided to put the royal valuables on public display. From the day of the revolution, the national government began to confiscate art objects from the aristocracy, and this was the beginning of the museum's collection. Over the course of several years, a large number of valuables were collected; for their exhibition, a spacious building was needed, which became

Louvre building

The Louvre's works required a lot of space, and the museum's organizers turned their attention to a large empty palace in the middle of Paris. This building has a long history. The heart of the Louvre is the Great Tower, built back in 1190. Its purpose was purely utilitarian - to monitor the approaching Vikings from above. In 1317, Charles the Fifth made the castle his residence, and the treasury of Paris moved here. Over the years of operation, the old tower fell into disrepair and was demolished, especially since the castle lost its defensive function and became a royal residence. Francis the First entrusted this work to Pierre Lescaut in 1546. He had the task of rebuilding the fortress, making it a real palace. The designer proposes to build a square courtyard, three sides of which are decorated with luxurious apartments, and the fourth is an open exit to the city center. During the architect's lifetime, only the western wing, which today bears his name, was completed. His project was realized by 1555 and became a luxurious example of Renaissance architecture. in 1594, Henry the Fourth decided that it was necessary to connect the Louvre with In 1655-1670, Louis Prevost expanded the palace and quadrupled it. Under Louis XIV, the eastern facade was decorated with a colonnade; it attracted many famous European architects, but in 1682 it lost interest in the project and moved the residence to Versailles. For almost a hundred years, the Louvre has been empty, deteriorating, and even ideas for its demolition are emerging. Louis the Fifteenth thought about creating a museum in the palace; his idea was realized after the revolution.

Under Napoleon the First, the northern facade was rebuilt, and in 1853 the entire Louvre complex was completed. In 1891, the appearance of the palace that we see today took shape. The last significant architectural reconstruction occurred in 1989, when the American architect Yo Ming Pei built a glass pyramid in the courtyard - the main entrance to the museum.

Collections of the Louvre: history and principles of creation

The first works of the Louvre began to be collected under Louis the Fourteenth, who, in the spirit of his time, began to create art collection. The collection was based on paintings purchased by Francis the First. Louis the Fourteenth buys large collection paintings (200 canvases) from the banker Zhabakh. The king is constantly looking for opportunities to add to his congregation. He increased the fund of the future museum to 2,500 paintings, acquired various items art. After the revolution, the museum collection begins to be replenished with confiscated valuables. The funds of the Museum of Sculpture are transferred to the Louvre. During Napoleonic campaigns of conquest, the Louvre's funds were actively replenished from trophies and from archaeological excavations in Egypt and the East. Also, the museum management, having own funds, conducts work on the selection and purchase of art objects. The collection is not formed spontaneously, the choice of works is determined by artistic value, and only masterpieces go to the Louvre. Many significant collectors bequeath their collections to the Louvre. Thus, in 1936, the museum accepted a donation of Baron Edmond Rothschild’s collection of graphics, amounting to more than 45 thousand exhibits. Also, much attention is paid to the formation of a French collection national art. Today there are about 400 exhibits in the Louvre, and the collection continues to grow. Due to the expansion of funds at the end of the 20th century, an active redistribution of works of art between museums in France began. The Louvre limited its collection to the date of 1848, and all later paintings were dispersed into other collections.

Today the museum’s collection is conventionally divided into groups: the art of the Ancient East, Ancient Egypt, ancient world, Islamic art, painting, graphics, decorative and applied arts.

Art of the Ancient World

The majority of the museum's holdings are made up of ancient art objects. Works of the Louvre in the department Ancient art represented by several regions. A huge part of the collection consists of objects found during excavations in Egypt, including the famous figure of Ramses II, the “Sitting Cat” sculpture, sphinxes, sarcophagi, ceramics, jewelry and much more, including wall paintings, bas-reliefs, interior elements. The art of the Ancient East is represented by collections of art objects from the cultures of Mesopotamia, Iran, and the Mediterranean.

Masterpieces of ancient sculpture

The basis of the sculpture collection was the acquisitions of Louis the Fourteenth. Today, the museum's collection contains true masterpieces, such as the Venus de Milo, a sculpture that attracts many visitors. Often tourists come to the Louvre precisely to see this masterpiece. Another significant work from antiquity is the sculpture “Nike of Samothrace,” which was found and brought to Paris by the French archaeologist Champoiseau. The Roman period is represented by a huge number of statues, bas-reliefs, and pedestals. Yard antique sculpture in the Louvre, flooded with sunshine through the glass roof, allows you to immerse yourself in a world of harmony and perfection.

Legacy of Leonardo da Vinci

The Mona Lisa painting is especially attractive to tourists and art lovers. Many people come to the museum solely to see her mysterious smile. But besides this, the Louvre can be proud of four more works by the great master. No less significant, but slightly less famous is the work “Madonna of the Rocks”. This work, created in the 1580s, has been in the royal collection since 1625. It is distinguished by an excellently described landscape behind the characters; here the author tries out those techniques that he would later fully apply when writing La Gioconda. “Madonna of the Rocks” is the first version of the work on this subject, the second version is in the London Museum. The Louvre is also rightfully proud of such works as “Portrait of a Young Woman”, “Madonna and Child and St. Anna" and "John the Baptist".

Masterpieces of world classics

The Louvre is one of them, and its glory, of course, lies in its masterpieces on a planetary scale. These include, first of all, the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci, but also here you can see the epoch-making work of Theodore Gericault “The Raft of Medusa”, several works by Jacques David, in particular, “The Coronation of Napoleon”. The rare work of I. Bosch “Ship of Fools” is also a pearl museum collection. The Louvre is the proud owner of paintings by S. Botticelli, Raphael Santi, H. Memling, A. Durer and many other authors. In the sculpture department, the undoubted hits are two works by Michelangelo: “The Dying Slave” and “The Rising Slave.”

French art

The collection of national art in the Louvre represents all periods and types of creativity. The collection contains many masterpieces, including, for example, Eugene Delacroix’s painting “Liberty Leading the People.” It accurately conveys the mood that reigned in the country during the Revolution. She became a symbol of the Republic. Plastic art The country is represented, among other things, by a figure of a Greek athlete made of marble. "Milon of Croton with a Lion" - a significant work French sculptor Pierre Puget in the style of ancient masters. The work amazes with its expressiveness and power of emotions. "Milon of Croton with the Lion" shows a scene of incredible human suffering, the strength of the athlete and his spirit.

Graphic arts

The graphic collection of the Louvre contains more than 130 thousand exhibits. These halls are mostly not visited by tourists; true connoisseurs of beauty come here. After all, the Louvre collection contains many books, drawings, and prints by the world’s best authors. Including drawings by H. Rembrandt, J. Chardin, E. Delacroix.

Arts and crafts

The museum is especially proud of its collection of decorative and applied arts. Furnishings, decorations, costumes, utensils different eras presented in several halls of the Louvre. First of all, the apartments of Napoleon III attract attention. Here is the complete furnishing and decoration of the state room in the style of Louis the Fourteenth and Fifteenth. Here you can see luxurious furniture, dishes, and interior items. But the museum also owns excellent examples of weapons and jewelry from the time of the Restoration and the reign of Napoleon the First. Of great interest is the collection of utensils, decorative items and jewelry from the Gothic, Baroque, Italian and French Renaissance. The collection of furniture in the Louvre is one of the best in the world.

What to see

To see all the exhibits of the Louvre, even a few months will not be enough, and if you examine carefully, even several years. But, when it is not possible to devote so much time to the museum, you need to think through the route and answer the question: what can’t be missed? There is a developed tour of the Louvre that will allow you to see the most important things. For tourists in a hurry, the main masterpieces in the museum are located in the first halls at the entrance, and there are special signs so as not to get lost. But some works worthy of attention, are placed in the appropriate sections, for example, Eugene Delacroix’s painting “Liberty Leading the People” is in the collection French art. Therefore, you need to navigate the museum map and find the right room. Schemes are given out at the entrance free of charge in several languages, including Russian.

In order not to get lost in the vast space and see the most important thing, you can use a special list of the main masterpieces, which include: the statue “Venus de Milo”, the sculpture of antiquity - “Nike of Samothrace”, the paintings “The Great Odalisque” by J. Ingres and “The Lacemaker” by J. Vermeer, works by Leonardo da Vinci, statue of Ramses II.

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To be in Paris and not visit the Louvre is simply a crime. Any tourist will tell you this. But if you haven’t prepared in advance, you risk getting lost among the crowd of people with cameras, tablets and smartphones and missing out on the most important thing for which the whole world is rushing to the largest Parisian museum.

The Louvre is huge and beautiful. You won’t be able to enjoy all of its exhibits even in one day - there are more than 300,000 of them. In order not to get an aesthetic shock from an oversaturation of beauty, you have to make a choice. website I decided to make it easier for you.

So, why go to the Louvre? First of all, of course, for the La Gioconda.

"Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci

"La Gioconda" by Leonardo da Vinci is the main exhibit of the Louvre. All museum signs lead to this painting. A huge number of people come to the Louvre every day to look at the bewitching smile of the Mona Lisa with their own eyes. You can’t see it anywhere except the Louvre. Due to the poor condition of the painting, the museum's management announced that it would no longer be exhibited.

The Mona Lisa might not have been so popular and world famous if it had not been stolen by a Louvre employee in 1911. The painting was found only 2 years later, when a thief tried to sell it in Italy. All this time, while the investigation was ongoing, the “Mona Lisa” did not leave the covers of newspapers and magazines around the world, becoming an object of copying and worship.

Today, the Mona Lisa is hidden behind bulletproof glass, with barriers holding back the crowd of tourists. Interest in one of the most famous and mysterious works of painting in the world does not fade.

Venus de Milo

The second star of the Louvre is the white marble statue of the goddess of love Aphrodite. The famous ancient ideal of beauty, created 120 years BC. e. The goddess's height is 164 cm, proportions are 86×69×93.

According to one version, the goddess’s hands were lost during a conflict between the French, who wanted to take her to their country, and the Turks, the owners of the island where she was discovered. Experts claim that the hands of the statue were broken off long before its discovery. However local residents The islands of the Aegean Sea believe in another beautiful legend.

One famous sculptor I was looking for a model to create a statue of the goddess Venus. He heard a rumor about a woman of extraordinary beauty from the island of Milos. The artist rushed there, found the beauty and fell madly in love with her. Having received consent, he set to work. On the day when the masterpiece was almost ready, unable to contain their passion any longer, the sculptor and the model threw themselves into each other’s arms. The girl pressed the sculptor so tightly to her chest that he suffocated and died. But the sculpture was left without both hands.

"The Raft of the Medusa" Theodore Gericault

Today the painting by Theodore Gericault is one of the pearls of the museum. Although after the artist’s death in 1824, representatives of the Louvre were not ready to pay a decent amount for it, and the painting was purchased at auction by a close friend of the artist.

During the author’s lifetime, the canvas caused outrage and indignation: how dared the artist to use such a large format not for the heroic or religious plot accepted in those days, but to depict a real event.

The plot of the film is based on an incident that happened on July 2, 1816 off the coast of Senegal. The frigate "Medusa" crashed, and 140 people tried to escape on a raft. Only 15 of them survived and 12 days later they were picked up by the brig Argus. The details of the voyage of the survivors - murders, cannibalism - shocked society and turned into a scandal.

Géricault combined hope and despair, the living and the dead, in one picture. Before depicting the latter, the artist made numerous sketches of dying people in hospitals and the corpses of executed people. “The Raft of the Medusa” was the last of Gericault’s completed works.

Nike of Samothrace

Another pride of the museum is the marble sculpture of the goddess of victory. Researchers believe that an unknown sculptor created Nike in the 2nd century BC as a sign of Greek naval victories.

The sculpture is missing its head and arms, and the right wing is a reconstruction, a plaster copy of the left wing. They tried repeatedly to restore the hands of the statue, but to no avail - they all spoiled the masterpiece. The statue was losing the feeling of flight and swiftness, an unstoppable rush forward.

Initially, Nika stood on a steep cliff above the sea, and her pedestal depicted a nose warship. Today the statue is located on the second floor of the Louvre on the Daru staircase of the Denon gallery and is visible from afar.

"The Coronation of Napoleon" Jacques Louis David

Art connoisseurs go to the Louvre to see in person the monumental paintings of the French artist Jacques Louis David “The Oath of the Horatii”, “The Death of Marat” and the grandiose canvas depicting the coronation of Napoleon.

The full title of the painting is “Dedication of Emperor Napoleon I and Coronation of Empress Josephine in the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris December 2, 1804." David chose the moment when Napoleon crowns Josephine and Pope Pius VII gives him his blessing.

The painting was created by order of Napoleon I himself, who wanted everything to look better on it than it actually was. Therefore, he asked David to depict his mother, who was not at the coronation, in the very center of the picture, to make himself a little taller, and Josephine a little younger.

"Cupid and Psyche" by Antonio Canova

There are two versions of the sculpture. The Louvre houses the first version, donated to the museum in 1800 by the husband of Napoleon's sister, Joachim Murat. The second, later version is in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. It was presented to the museum by Prince Yusupov, who acquired the masterpiece in Rome in 1796.

The sculpture depicts the god Cupid at the moment of Psyche's awakening from his kiss. In the Louvre catalog, the sculptural group is called “Psyche awakened by the kiss of Cupid.” Italian sculptor Antonio Canova was inspired to create this masterpiece ancient greek myths about the god of love Cupid and Psyche, whom the Greeks considered the personification of the human soul.