When the protective walls could no longer contain the growing population of Paris, the walls were torn down, and a palace for the royal family was commissioned in its place. The Louvre Pyramid and Renovation in the 1980s. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Because of her nudity, she is thought to represent the Greek goddess Aphrodite, though her identity has never been proven.

Pei. Origins as a Fortress. The Louvre Palace, which houses the museum, was begun as a fortress by Philip II (more commonly known as 'Philippe-Auguste') in the 12th century to protect the city from English soldiers which were in Normandy. This legacy, rather than lessening the impact of the original actually makes it even more mesmerizing. The museum, designed by the Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, was intended to boost the economy of the region and to alleviate crowds at the Paris site. Artworks essential to history and the history of art, masterpieces bear witness to the wealth of the Louvre’s collections and the wide range of artistic practices used around the world and through the ages. Go to navigation The Louvre Museum was originally constructed over 800 years ago as a fortress to protect the city of Paris from invaders. Most famously: where are the arms originally attached to the statue located? Go to search

Premium Membership is now 50% off! In 1874, it was acquired by the Louvre Museum.

This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Louvre-Museum, Louvre Museum - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). More than six million people visit the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa each year.

The Louvre Museum is now home to more than 35,000 of the world’s most famous works of art, including the “Mona Lisa,” the “Venus de Milo,” and the “Great Sphinx of Tanis.” Key Takeaways The Louvre Museum was constructed by King Philippe Augustus as a fortress in 1190 to protect the city of Paris from foreign invasion. Here are 10 quirky and unusual facts about the Louvre… the kind of Louvre facts you won’t find in any guidebook! It gives an insight into the lives of the Ancient Egyptians, for nobility and priests, as well as for ordinary people. She is positioned to appear as though she is looking across the other Roman depictions of Venus that appear in the same hall at the Louvre Museum. The Louvre’s painting collection is one of the richest in the world, representing all periods of European art up to the Revolutions of 1848. Louvre, the national museum and art gallery of France, housed in part of a large palace in Paris. Yet the painting still manages to hold on to its aura. The unretouched image is darker. The Louvre Museum is now home to more than 35,000 of the world’s most famous works of art, including the “Mona Lisa,” the “Venus de Milo,” and the “Great Sphinx of Tanis.”. Representing the Greek goddess of victory, Nike was found in hundreds of different pieces in 1863 on the Greek island of Samothrace before she was brought to the Louvre Museum. Among the hallowed halls of the Louvre you will … Information about your device and internet connection, including your IP address, Browsing and search activity while using Verizon Media websites and apps. If you’ve ever tried to see it by yourself, you know that it can be extremely daunting to find your way around, see what you want to see, and well, not buckle under the weight of so many masterworks under the same roof. Go to content For those who come to the Louvre wishing to understand more about French history, this is an essential viewing. This fame is almost entirely the result of a robbery that took place in 1911, when the Mona Lisa was taken from the Louvre by an Italian patriot who believed the painting should be in display in Italy rather than France. This is the leading collection of drawings in the world.

In 1993, on the museum’s 200th anniversary, the rebuilt Richelieu wing, formerly occupied by France’s Ministry of Finance, was opened; for the first time, the entire Louvre was devoted to museum purposes.