Louvre
The Louvre, or the Louvre Museum, is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement and home to some of the most canonical works of Western art, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace, originally built in the late 12th to 13th century under Philip II. Remnants of the Medieval Louvre fortress are visible in the basement of the museum. Due to urban expansion, the fortress eventually lost its defensive function, and in 1546 Francis I converted it into the primary residence of the French kings.
Some of the key events about Louvre
- 1190Construction began on the Louvre as a fortress to defend Paris
- 1546The Louvre was transformed from a fortress into a royal residence
- 1793The Louvre officially opened as a public museum during the French Revolution
- 1793Confiscated royal and aristocratic art collections during the French Revolution
- 1797The museum acquired many important artworks from Napoleon's conquests
- 1803Renamed "Musée Napoléon" and filled with looted artworks from conquered territories
- 1815Forced to return many artworks to their countries of origin after Napoleon's defeat
- 1851The Louvre was connected to the Tuileries Palace, greatly expanding its size
- 1911The theft and subsequent recovery of the Mona Lisa increased the painting's fame
- 1911Failed to prevent the theft of the Mona Lisa, which remained missing for two years
- 1939Evacuated most of its collection due to the outbreak of World War II
- 1940Occupied by Nazi forces during World War II
- 1961Controversial cleaning of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Virgin and Child with St. Anne" damaged the painting
- 1981The Grand Louvre project was launched to renovate and expand the museum
- 1984Discovered extensive damage to Veronese's "The Wedding Feast at Cana" due to poor restoration techniques
- 1989The iconic glass pyramid designed by I.M. Pei was completed in the main courtyard
- 1993The Richelieu Wing opened, doubling the museum's exhibition space
- 2007Criticized for allowing the Louvre Abu Dhabi to use its name in exchange for financial compensation
- 2012The Islamic Art department was inaugurated, showcasing a vast collection
- 2019Closed unexpectedly due to staff protests over overcrowding and poor working conditions
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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