The Louvre, Finally

Happy Birthday to me! What a wonderful place to celebrate another year!

Tim and I got up a tiny bit earlier today, but we decided to stay in this morning. We finally walked over to the Louvre for our timed entry reservation, our last museum visit in France. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been to Paris about six times, but I had never visited the Louvre. Today, I would correct that omission. I also had not been to Paris since the construction of I.M. Pei’s Pyramid, so I was looking forward to seeing that as well.

The Louvre and Its Pyramid, from Outside and Inside

Sarah and Tim at the Louvre (We Still Haven't Mastered Selfies!)

Knowing that the Louvre is overwhelming even for those with lots of energy, Tim and I figured we’d need a strategy so as not to wander aimlessly around. On the museum’s website, we noticed several visitor trails. “The Louvre’s Masterpieces” sounded promising, and it was listed at only one-and-a-half hours to complete. “What exactly is a masterpiece? Follow this trail to find out!” We pulled up the trail on my phone, and we set out, happy to have step-by-step directions to follow.

Below is the Introduction to the trail for a little background:

Some artworks have survived over the centuries and made such a mark on history that we cannot imagine the world without them. Their influence has spread across borders and cultures, and to this day they continue to be distinguished by experts and admired by all. 

Where better than the Louvre to get a sense of the great artworks? The palace is home to some of the world’s most iconic pieces – paintings, sculptures, architectural elements and art objects by famous or anonymous artists of many different origins and eras. And no two masterpieces are alike.

The Louvre’s specialties include Greek sculpture, Italian painting, and French painting, and the Masterpieces trail mostly focuses on highlights from those collections. The trail includes the following eleven “steps,” and these are the masterpieces we discovered, as well as a few of our observations about them:

Ancient Masterpieces from the Royal Collections – The Caryatids

Four Roman-inspired caryatids support a musicians’ gallery in the Salle des Cariatides. These sculpted female figures serve as columns and were created by the sculptor Jean Goujon in 1550. This former ballroom is now where classical Greek and Roman sculptures are displayed, a practice begun during the Renaissance. I was a bit puzzled about the focus on the caryatids instead of on one or two of the ancient sculptures.

Ancient Masterpieces from the Royal Collections – The Caryatids

A Welcome Newcomer to the Louvre – Aphrodite, known as the Venus de Milo

This statue was found on the Greek island of Melos and presented to King Louis XVIII, who gave it to the Louvre in 1821. Venus de Milo is one of the best-preserved Greek statues in existence and a rare Greek original. She is quite the beauty in person.

A Welcome Newcomer to the Louvre – Aphrodite, known as the Venus de Milo

An Uplifting Sight – The Winged Victory of Samothrace

Standing at the top of the Daru staircase, The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a timeless icon of Western art, and its setting in the Louvre is spectacular. This statue depicts the goddess Victory, or Nike, alighting on the prow of a warship.

An Uplifting Sight – The Winged Victory of Samothrace

Italian Frescoes on the Walls of the Louvre – Venus and the Three Graces Presenting Gifts to a Young Woman

These Renaissance frescoes were created by the painter Sandro Botticelli, one of the most famous artists of the Italian Renaissance, and were discovered in 1873 during the renovation of a villa near Florence. Although the frescoes are beautiful, my eyes were drawn to the room itself and its magnificent ceiling.

Italian Frescoes on the Walls of the Louvre – Venus and the Three Graces Presenting Gifts to a Young Woman

The Making of Reputations – The Salon Carré

This step was a puzzle, until I learned that the masterpiece appears to be the history of the room itself. In the eighteenth century, the Salon Carré was used as an exhibition space for works by members of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. Artists’ reputations were made or broken at these annual displays, and it was here that art criticism originated. Although the original ceiling and floor remain, the room itself bears no resemblance to its original glory. In fact, I found this room to be one of the least inspiring in the Louvre.

The Making of Reputations – The Salon Carré (Historic Image Courtesy of www.louvre.fr)

Treasures of the Italian Renaissance – The Grande Galerie

The Grande Galerie is a majestic, long hallway and the most famous room in the Louvre. Displayed here is an incredible collection of Italian paintings, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest Renaissance artists. The space was amazing, but I never seemed to focus on a single painting. Tim, however, did find da Vinci’s portrait of La Belle Ferronnière.

Treasures of the Italian Renaissance – The Grande Galerie

A Superstar…Facing a Crowd of 132 – Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, Wife of Francesco del Giocondo, Known as the Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa has always been the star attraction at the Louvre. In 1966, the Louvre chose to display Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece in the Salle des États, the largest room in the palace. Although the Mona Lisa may be the most famous painting in the world, neither Tim nor I was willing to wait in the long line to get a close-up view of her enigmatic smile. The image I was able to capture, therefore, is a bit out of focus.

A Superstar…Facing a Crowd of 132 – Portrait of Lisa Gherardini, Wife of Francesco del Giocondo,
Known as the Mona Lisa

Romanticism, Topicality, Sensuality… - The Raft of the Medusa

The Red Rooms display some of the largest paintings in the Louvre, including masterpieces by the greatest nineteenth-century French painters. Most of the works here are “history paintings,” which were traditionally regarded in France as the most important and prestigious. Théodore Géricault’s huge painting The Raft of the Medusa, a dramatic scene illustrating the recent wreck of a French ship, is one of the more unusual ones in this genre. Once again, my eyes were drawn to the elaborate ceiling in this room instead of the art.

By the time Tim and I reached this room, I was mostly “checking the box” and looking only at the specific masterpieces on the “trail.” Sadly, I learned later that I totally missed other French paintings in this room that I likely would have preferred to see.

Romanticism, Topicality, Sensuality… - The Raft of the Medusa

Imprisoned in Stone – Slaves (The Rebellious Slave and The Dying Slave)

The Michelangelo gallery houses masterpieces of Italian sculpture, including the artist’s famous Slaves. These two striking sculptures, which were never finished, illustrate the mix of realism and idealism at which Michelangelo excelled. The Dying Slave is displayed against a monumental portal, which is quite effective.

Imprisoned in Stone – Slaves (The Rebellious Slave and The Dying Slave)

Bringing Marble to Life – Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss

At the far end of the Michelangelo gallery is Antonio Canova’s amazing sculpture, Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. Canova specialized in delicate marble depictions of mythological episodes and managed to capture emotion in stone. I was really drawn to this one, and it was my favorite of all the masterpieces we saw.

Bringing Marble to Life – Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss

A Transparent Controversy – The Pyramid

I.M. Pei’s Pyramid sparked a tremendous amount of controversy during its construction between 1985 and 1989. Although some people feared the Louvre would be forever altered, in fact, the project followed an 800-year-old tradition of architectural transformations of the palace. Today, the pyramid is loved both by visitors and Parisians, and it has become a tourist attraction in its own right. This former eyesore is now regarded as a masterpiece.

A Transparent Controversy – The Pyramid

As expected, the crowds were much worse at the Louvre than other places we had been, and visiting the museum was almost too much for Tim and me, even with the guide. I’m glad I went, and I seemed to enjoy the architecture as much as the art, but I won’t be rushing back anytime soon.

We took a welcome break at the same café where we ate the first night and decided to share another pizza. I celebrated the completion of our tour of the Louvre with an Aperol spritz, since I had enjoyed the one I had on the Viking Fjorgyn. The French attention to detail that we have encountered everywhere still impresses me. Even at an outdoor café, a white cloth napkin was spread on our table for a tablecloth.

Tim and I had fun watching some type of photo shoot near us. Two beautifully dressed women were sitting at a table, and a young photographer was instructing them on how she wanted them to pose. Jacket on or off? Hair flipped back or forward? Glass in hand or on the table? It was all quite amusing, especially watching the expressions on the photographer’s face. 

Watching the Photo Shoot - I Loved the Photographer's Expressions

We arrived back at the hotel, and I decided to finally open the champagne that the hotel had given us on the first day. I enjoyed a glass, or two or three, as I finished packing. 

When I checked in with Air France for our return flight, we were offered an upgrade to business class for just over €300 each. When I mentioned the offer to Tim, he jumped at the chance. I sort of chuckled since we had agreed that premium economy was fine for a daytime flight and he’s usually more frugal than I. Once again, he totally surprised me, but I was totally on board with his decision. And why not?! Let’s end this trip in style, just the way we started!