Louvre Pyramid
It was a tourist “thing” to stand on a square box provided for the purpose of doing as I am doing in the below photo – attempting to hold the top of the Louvre Pyramid.
The Louvre Pyramid is a large glass and metal structure designed by the Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei. The pyramid is in the main courtyard (Cour Napoléon) of the Louvre Palace.
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
We waited for our tour guide under the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.
3 Hour Tour
We were part of a 3 hour guided tour of the Louvre. Our tour was in the oldest section of the museum.
Our tour guide giving his pre-tour speech before we entered.
The Inverted Pyramid
The Inverted Pyramid is a skylight in the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall in front of the Louvre Museum. It looks like an upside-down and smaller version of the Louvre Pyramid.
The Staircase Under the Louvre Pyramid
The Smaller Pyramid
Portrait of a Young Woman
We started off looking at a portrait that was over 2000 years old called “Portrait of a Young Woman”. This portrait was a starting point to explain 2000 years ago artists knew how to create a realistic portrait.
Our tour would include exploring the evolution of portraits.
Winged Victory of Samothrace
Our tour guide led us to Daru staircase in the Denon wing where at its centre stands Winged Victory of Samothrace.
The Winged Victory of Samothrace, or the Nike of Samothrace, is a votive monument originally found on the island of Samothrace, north of the Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era, dating from the beginning of the 2nd century BC. It is composed of a statue representing the goddess Niké (Victory), whose head and arms are missing, and its base in the shape of a ship’s bow.
Giotto di Bondone – Crucifix – 1310-1315 (?)
Cenni di Pepi (Cimabue) – Maestà – 1280
Sandro Botticelli – Madonna and Child with St. John the Baptist, c. 1470–1475
Leonardo da Vinci – The Virgin and Child with St. Anne – 1500 until 1513
3 generations – Mary’s mother Anne, Mary and Baby Jesus with a baby lamb (Lamb of God).
Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino also known as Raphael – Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist – 1507
Leonardo da Vinci – Mona Lisa – 1503–1506
The story of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” has many interesting details – what made the portrait famous was that the portrait was stolen by a worker and later returned.
No one really knows who Mona Lisa is – her identity is speculation.
On his death bed Leonardo da Vinci admitted Mona Lisa was his favorite of all his paintings.
An Unforgettable Moment in the Chaos
There are moments in a marriage that are wonderfully unforgettable.
I experienced one of these moments when I was trying to get a picture of myself with this famous portrait, without anyone else in the picture.
My husband Michael took care of that.
He assertively pushed us through the crowd then with a tone of don’t mess with me he asked those near me to move out of the way so he could take Mona Lisa and I’s picture together. Without anyone but us in it!
Almost Forgotten in the Crowd
The below two paintings are in the same room as Mona Lisa.
Our tour guide made a point of showing us the Wedding at Cana.
The other painting I quickly took a photo of but did not have time to know more about it as the tour moved on to another location.
Paolo Caliari, known as Paolo Veronese – The Wedding at Cana – 1563.
Napoleon stole the painting of “The Wedding at Cana” from Italy.
In this painting, it captures the exact moment when Jesus is performing the miracle of turning water to wine.
The Red Rooms
After the Mona Lisa and the Wedding at Cana, we entered the Red Rooms.
Named after its majestic red walls, the Red Rooms are home to the largest paintings in the Louvre. Showcased here are the works of some of the greatest French artists from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including Jaques-Louis David, Eugène Delacroix, and Théodore Géricault.
Jacques-Louis David – The Coronation of Napoleon – 1805–1807
The creepy little guy behind Napoleon, Jacques-Louis David put in honour of Napoleon.
That creepy little guy is Julius Caesar.
Napoleon was obsessed with Rome.
Théodore Géricault – The Raft of the Medusa – 1818–1819
The Raft of the Medusa is an oil painting by the French Romantic painter and lithographer Théodore Géricault. The painting depicts the aftermath of the 1816 wreck of the French Royal Navy frigate the Medusa, which ran aground off the coast of Senegal. Because of a shortage of lifeboats, some 150 survivors embarked on a raft and were decimated by starvation during a 13-day ordeal, which descended into savagery. The painting is considered an icon of French Romanticism.
Eugène Delacroix – Liberty Leading the People – 1830
A painting by Eugène Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France.
Paul Delaroche – The Young Martyr – 1855
The Young Martyr represents both emphasis on historical accuracy and flair for drama and emotionality. It depicts the historical martyrdom of a Christian woman, while, at the same time, an otherworldly halo, emanating above the Martyr’s forehead. It is based on the Romantic style of genre painting.
Venus de Milo – 150 – 125 BC
An ancient Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic period, depicting a Greek goddess. It is one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture.
Aphrodite, known as the “Venus de Milo” is an original greek statue that is over 2000 years old dating back between 130 and 100 BC.
Michelangelo – Dying Slave – 1513–1516
Crafted in the early 16th century, this pair of sculptures were originally part of a papal commission. Ultimately left unfinished and omitted from the final design, the Rebellious Slave and the Dying Slave stand as symbols of Michelangelo’s “quest for absolute truth in art.”
Michelangelo – Rebellious Slave – 1513
Antonio Canova – Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss – 1787
Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss is a sculpture by Italian artist Antonio Canova first commissioned in 1787 by Colonel John Campbell. It is regarded as a masterpiece of Neoclassical sculpture. It shows the mythological lovers at a moment of great emotion, characteristic of the emerging movement of Romanticism. It represents the god Cupid in the height of love and tenderness, immediately after awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss. The story of Cupid and Psyche is taken from Lucius Apuleius’ Latin novel The Golden Ass, and was popular in art.
Giovanni Battista Foggini – Wild Boar – 1684
Diana of Versailles
The last stop of the tour was in the oldest room in the Louvre Palace at 500 years old. This room is where all kings and queens who lived in the grand palace over the centuries, danced.
The statue of “Diana of Versailles”, is in this room.
Diana is represented at the hunt, hastening forward, as if in pursuit of game. She looks toward the right and with raised right arm is about to draw an arrow from her quiver. Her left arm has been restored, and a deer has been added at her feet, although one might have expected a dog. Her left hand is holding a small cylindrical fragment, which may be part of what was once a bow. She wears a short Dorian chiton, a himation around her waist, and sandals. Her second toes are longer than her big toes, known as Morton’s Toe.
It is a partially restored Roman copy (1st or 2nd century AD) of a lost Greek bronze original attributed to Leochares, c. 325 BC.
Satyres en Atlante
What is a satyr?
In Greek mythology, a satyr is a male nature spirit with ears and a tail resembling those of a horse, as well as a permanent, exaggerated erection. They are often depicted as companions of Dionysus, the god of wine and celebration. Satyrs are known for their love of wine and women, and they are often depicted in art as playing music or dancing. They are also sometimes associated with fertility and the wildness of nature.
Bust of Satyr
Random Faces
Ceilings
Aah… Paris…
S, 🇫🇷
March Break – 2016 – Paris, France
Paris, France – Dinner at Au Chai de L’Abbaye
Paris, France – La Palette,Yann Arthus-Bertrand & Musee d’Orsay
Paris, France – The Louvre Museum
Paris, France – A Rainy Day in The Marais
Paris, France – The Eiffel Tower
The 1888 Van Gogh “Starry Night” is very dear to DV & i. Thank you for that it meant a lot. From the spectacular architecture,to the art piece of St. Anne,Mary & baby Jesus would have made nanny smile, made me think of us. There are so many beautiful pieces of art…how to pick one? I think i will go with The Mona Lisa and my beautiful daughter both smiling. This journey, as seen through your eyes of The Louvre was a gift indeed. Hope Michael enjoyed it as well. Love you lots. mama & DV xoxo