Louvre

Louvre

How exciting to be in the presence of such history.  What icons these pyramids are in front of the palace turned museum.  This museum gives us a history of Western culture.  

Throughout my time here, I was wishing my daughter, Jennifer, was here.  I know she would have loved being here.  It is because of her that we even played with the thought of coming here.  I know it would be better if she was for many reasons, one, of course, being, she speaks French!!

This picture is looking away from the pyramids in the Louvre court.

This is under one of the small pyramids.  I thought it looked cool!

Looking through the big pyramid!

We followed Rick Steve's audioguide to take us through the museum.  I am so glad we did because it would have been too overwhelming for me without his guidance.

We started in the Denon wing in the Pre-Classical Greek Room.  We saw statues and stone dolls that date to about 3000BC.  Incredible.

Remembering this was once a palace, I enjoyed gawking at the ceilings.  Everywhere I looked was beauty.

Venus de Milo

Venus de Milo dates from around 100BC.  She is the goddess of love from the Greek island of 

Melos.  Greeks pictured all their gods in human form.  Venus' well-proportioned body 

embodies the balance and orderliness of the Greek universe. 

With Venus resting on her right foot, she has her left leg lifted slightly.  Her right shoulder is also drooped down some.  Her knee points one way and her head points the other.  She is a harmonious balance of opposites.  This pose, along with being balanced, gives her body an S-curve.  The Greeks found this pose especially beautiful.

You can see the S-curve best from the back.

Her face is not of a particular woman, but is every woman.

Beautiful. and awe-inspiring!

Greek Gods and Goddesses

Aphrodite

This is Athena.  Remembering all we learned about her in Athens makes this all the more exciting.  She is shown as a warrior, ready to fight for her city.  She wears a helmet and carries a spear (which is no longer with this sculpture.  

This is a statue of Zeus.

The Greeks dominated the ancient world through brain, not brawn.  Their art shows their love of rationality, order and balance.  The ideal Greek was a well rounded individual; athletic and smart, a lover and a philosopher, a carpenter and a musician, a warrior and a poet.

Parthenon

These panels were once on the Parthenon in Athens.

This centaur is rudely harassing this woman.  This is depicting how the "rude" 

barbarians were conquered by Athens and became more civilized.

This depicts a sacred procession of young girls marching up the hill.  

Roman Emperors

This is young Pompee

Agrippa

This is one who is in one of the most famous portions of Scripture 

discussing our Lord's birth...Caesar Augustus.

 I do not remember who this is supposed to be, but I thought he was pretty cool!

Winged Victory of Samthrace

She is dated to around 190 BC.

She is a woman with wings, poised on the prow of a ship.  She commemorated a naval victory.

Her clothes are windblown with lots of detail in the folds of her dress.  Her wings stretch 

upward, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground.  More opposing features 

which give the feeling of great energy.

Palace

This next room is a real reminder that the Louvre was once a palace.

 This royal palace was built in stages over 8 centuries.  It was once rectangular, 

but one section burnt down during a riot leaving the Louvre U-shaped.

In 1989, the glass pyramid was added.  The Parisians at first hated this addition, but they also hated hated the Eiffel Tower at first.  This, of course, for me reminds me of the movie, DaVinci Code.

In September, 1792, the museum was founded. 

The Apollo Gallery

  In this room are many paintings of past kings of France.  Louis XIV 

was surrounded in luxury like this palace.  He grew up here.

 The royal jewels

 Such an ornate ceiling.

A Boticelli painting- the ancient world "reborn" during the Renaissance.

Madonna of the Angels

This was painted by Cimabue in 1280 during what is known as the medieval age.  

St Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata

Painted by Giotta in 1290.  St Francis had a vision of Christ hovering above him with six wings.  This shows him receiving the stigmata from Christ.  Francis gave the medieval world a new life and hope.  He humbly loved man and nature.  In the bottom left panel you can see St Francis bending over to tell the birds about God.  The birds are black, yellow, red and white symbolizing all humankind.

The Grand Gallery

This portion of the museum is more than 3 football fields long.  It was built in the 1500s to connect the old palace with the Tuileries Palace.  This is where a large portion of the Italian Renaissance art collection is.

This is a painting depicting St Sebastian.  He was an early Christian saint and martyr, dying 288AD. He was killed during the Roman persecution of Christians during Diocetian's reign.  He is commonly depicted in art and literature tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows. 

Paintings by DaVinci

Virgin, Child and St Anne

In this painting, DaVinci has three generations- Mary's mother, Mary and Jesus.  This is a peaceful scene but also one that causes you to remember that Jesus was born to be the sacrifice for our sins as represented by the lamb Jesus is playing with.

John the Baptist

This painting depicts the beheading of John the Baptist, with his head put on a platter for Salome, Herodius' daughter.

Raphael

LaBelle Jardiere

 Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist are depicted here.  John the Baptist is the one kneeling holding the cross, hinting at Jesus' sacrificial death.

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo DaVinci, is believed to be a portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Florentine merchant.  Her famous smile was created by a technique called sfumato, where he blurs the edges of her smile that you can not clearly see the corners of her mouth.

The Marriage at Cana

This painting by Paolo Veronese depicts where Jesus' first miracle took place, 

the wedding in Canaan.  It was painted in 1562.  

 Coronation of Napoleon

This painting depicts the coronation of Napoleon, painted by Jacques-Louis David 

in 1806.  Napoleon decided that no one, not even the pope, was worthy 

to crown him the emperor, so he crowned himself. 

LaGrande Odalisque

Painted in 1819 by Jean-Auguste-Dominique is a reminder of the Greeks style sculptures. 

I do not know anything about this painting, just liked it!

 I've seen this painting in books depicting Napoleon in the midst of his conquests.

The Raft of the Medusa

This was painted by Theodore Gericault in 1819.  This depicts an actual event, the sinking 

of the ship Medusa off the coast of Africa in 1816.  I love the expression on the man's face 

who has a dead body in his lap.  His face seems to radiate despair.  There is also hope 

depicted in this painting by the one pointing.  

Liberty Leading the People

What an incredible painting depicting lady liberty leading the people in revolution.  

This scene reminds me of Les Mis.  It was painted by Eugene Delacroix in 1830.  

This symbol of freedom is a fitting tribute to the Louvre, the first museum ever 

opened to the common people.  The good things in life do not belong to the select few.  

"Liberty, Equality, and the Brotherhood of All"- the motto of France.

Michelangelo's Slaves

(1513-1515 AD)

Rebellious Salve

Dying Slave

Michelangelo believed the challenge was to carve away the 

excess marble to reveal the figures God put inside.

Just thought with all this wonderful art, I should show you the bit of art I get to see every day!!

 This is outside in one of the courtyards.

I hope you enjoyed the trip through the Louvre as much as we did.  It was an exciting day.  What talent God has given these artists who shared it with the rest of us!  It is a true blessing for us all when talent is shared.

Peace!

(Info from Rick Steves, Wikipedia, and believe it or not, my memory!!)