II.4.5. INTRODUCTION TO THE LOUVRE

ROMANS, THE ANCIENT GODS AND FIGURES FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE CARRY MESSAGES

The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault, 1819

For the key to this painting, please click.

And kids show adults the gift of observation: "Mommy, look at the vampire!," an eight-year-old cried out:

Dante's Barque,1822

 

"That's the best part of my painting!," the young artist said.

-- Eugène Delacroix, age 26

 

For adults and teenagers, 

please click.

If you come with young children

or simply for starters,

please scroll down.

• The Mona Lisa, one masterpiece among a multitude

• Art that tells stories: Rubens's paintings for a queen

• To find the most famous works of the huge museum...

• Save the blockbusters for last

• Outdoor ending

• Rewards

*    *    *

Next,

The Mona Lisa, one masterpiece among a multitude

THE "MONA LISA," ONE MASTERPIECE AMONG A MULTITUDE

RESIST THE ARROWS

There's a better way to see the painting toward which crowds head.

Concentrating on that work is arbitrary, for the Louvre exhibits at least 300 masterpieces:

   The Gallery of the Louvre by Samuel Morse, 1830-1832 / zoom

Samuel Morse (the code's inventor) included it in his imaginary museum, as one painting among others.

We begin the visit with works

whose influence has been at least as great,

and that show monsters, drama and a queen.

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Next,

Art that tells stories: Rubens's paintings for a queen

ART THAT TELLS STORIES: RUBENS'S PAINTINGS FOR A QUEEN

DEITIES AND MONSTERS DRAMATIZE THE FIRST STAGE OF MARIE DE MEDICIS'S TURBULENT LIFE.* 

 *Queen mother and regent 1610-1616 / disgrace, 1616 / return to a degree of power, 1621-1630 / Final disgrace and exile, 1631-1643. Rubens's series, 1624-1626.  

For her story, please click here and here.

# # #

Explain to the children that nudity is the clothing of the gods, that the figures are superhuman and imaginary and that corpulence shows prosperity. 

# # #

For the very young: a feisty queen, a prince who is ignored and will take his revenge, princesses and monsters

Elisabeth Rawson

"The monster is the bad guy whom the queen defeated."

For teens, explain that allegories are messages: more here.

   Claude Abron

"The tots imply that the queen may rebel if the king does not do what she asks."

Allegories and evocations of antiquity strengthen the nobility.

       Marie Triumphant (The Victory at Julich) by Rubens, 1624

For that part of the visit,

please click. 

*     *     * 

Next,

To find the most important works in the huge museum...

TO FIND THE MOST FAMOUS WORKS OF THE HUGE MUSEUM...

RETURN TO THE ENTRY AND FOLLOW THE MONA LISA SIGNS

The spectacular staircase seems to omit them...  

Pamela Spurdon

But they reappear.

Take another path: At the third landing turn away from the sign...

Climb the almost empty staircase...

Cross the gallery to which it leads. Masterpieces will flash past you...

The most iconic works made in France are just beyond this celebration of Napoleon.

But first, 

back to the visit shortened for kids

and how to finish all of them.

   

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Next,

Save the blockbusters for last

SAVE THE OTHER BLOCKBUSTERS FOR LAST

NOW DISCOVER THE MONA LISA 

You will see it better this way...

Than this.

# # #

Straight ahead is a long gallery filled with masterpieces, which leads to giant stairs by which to leave. See...

• The Venus de Milo, at the first landing:

• Michelangelo's The Slave, straight ahead:

• The Victory of Samothrace ...

     Funny Face by Stanley Donen, 1957, with Audrey Hepburn

Turn around at the bottom of the stairs

so that your last memory

is of the spectacular work and its staging.

*     *     * 

Next,
Outdoor ending

OUTDOOR ENDING

THE HIDDEN GARDENS OF PALAIS-ROYAL OR THOSE OF THE TUILERIES BEYOND THE MUSEUM

*    *    *

Next,

Rewards

REWARDS

EIFFEL TOWER KEY CHAINS

"Touristy" places sell them for almost nothing...

At a bookseller's stall on the Seine.

On rue de Rivoli.

Àt an exit of métro Odéon.

The mall under the Louvre adds a décoration and multiplies the price by twelve. 

Brandishing them at the Palais-Royal gardens, across the street from the Louvre.

Letting kids choose among those

 that young Senegalese sell at the museum

 helps boost their meager revenues.

End of this section.

*     *     *

Next section,

II.5.

Nobles, gods and heroes