FRANCE: The Louvre

The Louvre is another Parisian icon. 

It is the world’s largest art museum and also a historic monument that attracts millions of visitors each year. 

The Louvre covers over 72,000 square meters (775,000 sq ft for those not metrically inclined) of exhibition space. 

There are over 480,000 works of art. 

The Louvre’s collection includes paintings, sculptures, artifacts and antiquities from prehistory to the 21st century. 

 The Louvre was originally a fortress built in the 12th century by King Philip II to defend Paris. Parts of the original medieval structure can still be seen in the museum's basement. 

Look closely at some of the bricks and you can see marks on them. These are what the stone masons carved into them to tally up their completed stones so they could receive payment for their work. 

 

 

The fort began its transformation into a royal residence in 1546 when King Francis I initiated the renovation of the old medieval fortress into a Renaissance-style palace. There were numerous renovations and additions by the different Kings over the centuries.

 

 

 

  

The details inside the building are beautiful. 

 

 

I can not imagine the patience, eyesight and dexterity required by the talented craftsmen. 

 

 

 

The inside structure of the building itself is stunning,

Long story short, in 1793 during the French Revolution it officially opened as a public museum with an initial collection of just 537 paintings. During his reign, Napoleon Bonaparte renamed the museum Muséum Napoléon (of course) and significantly expanded the collection with looted art from across Europe. 

The glass pyramid entrance was added in 1989. It was controversial at first but is now another iconic symbol of Paris. 

 

The collection is extensive.

 

  

Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the Louvre. It's displayed behind bulletproof glass and attracts millions of visitors annually. It is not that big, but, all the tourists figure if you go to the Louvre, you have to go see the Mona Lisa. 

 

 

Have I ever mentioned that tourists can be so annoying?
 

Because we are in Paris for 2 months we decided to get a Louvre Membership. After 2 1/2 visits we have got our money's worth. Sooooo...... lots of opportunities for photos. Currently there is an exhibit of haute couture designs that are placed among the existing displays. 

 

 

Take a look at the tapestry behind the mannequin and then look at the headpiece and the fabric pattern in the outfit. 

 

 

I had fun wandering around looking for the fashions to see how they had been incorporated into the Louvre's settings.  

Fortunately, I do not have a closet so I can not covet anything. 

Once again, John is feeling very lucky.