October 22, 2017
The Louvre is the biggest art museum in the world and a historic monument in Paris.
The museum is within the Louvre Palace originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century. The building over the years was extended many times to form the present Louvre Palace. In 1682 Louis XIV left the Louvre to move to the Palace of Versailles. This left the louvre a place to display the Royal Collection, including ancient Greek and Roman sculptures.
During the French Revolution it was decided that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nations masterpieces and this opened in 1793. The museum gained many pieces under Napoleon and was renamed for that moment as Musee Napoleon.
The current collection is divided in 8 departments; Egyptian, Near Eastern Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculpture and Decorative Arts, Painting, Prints and Drawings.
The Louvre contains more than 380, 000 objects and displays 35, 000 works of art. On average 8 million people visit the Louvre yearly.
There are many famous pieces within this art museum.
The seated Scribe, Egypt, in limestone, 2600 BC
The Nike of Samothrace the “Winged Victory”, from Ancient Greece, in marble 190BC. Standing 8 feet tall.
Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1519
The Venus de Milo, has no arms, 100 BC. This sculpture is of the goddess Venus. Discovered in 1820 it was offered to the King Louis XIII who gave it to the Louvre.
The mummy. Preserved mummy in the Egyptian section.
By Finn
