10 Must-See Things In the Louvre Museum!

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, is the world’s largest art museum and a historic monument with over 35,000 artworks and 500,000 objects. Stretching across centuries, the Louvre has become a cultural reference visit for millions of people every year. For this reason, it is more than just a display of art. The museum is the same exact Louvre Palace of King Philip II, dating back to the late 12 and 13th centuries.

It holds an immense collection of items including the world-renowned “Mona Lisa” painting. However, there are a few that you must see in the museum. Let’s look at the top 10 must-see things in the Louvre Museum.

1. Mona Lisa

Twenty years later, The Mona Lisa holds the title for being the most famous picture in all human history. It has an audience of over 10 million people a year. This was painted between the years 1503 and 1506. The small but magnetic Mona Lisa celebrates an enigmatic smile and an equal subtlety in the treatment of lights and shades. Currently residing behind bulletproof glass, this huge cultural wonder is very shockingly small—only 77 cm x 53 cm tall. The fame of the painting took off after being stolen in 1911. Recovered two years later, this art firmly re-established its position in art history. Visit the Louvre Museum to see this iconic art.

2. Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss

Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss is the Neoclassicism sculpture par excellence, done by Antonio Canova between 1787 and 1793. The piece is an impression of the Greek myth about the time when Cupid revived Psyche with a kiss. Noted are also the fine details in the sculpture and the tenderness of emotion expressed in it. Made from marble, it is 155 cm tall. This testifies to Canova’s ability to bring mythological scenes to life in a realistic and graceful way.

3. Venus de Milo

The Venus de Milo is a statue of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Found on the island of Milos in 1820, this is dated from between 130 and 100 BCE. Among its peculiarities is that it has no arms. It has become a subject of interest among art historians for years. Although the arms are not present, the perfect proportions and elegant form make the Venus de Milo truly outstanding. It is 203 cm in height. This is arguably one of the best works on ancient Greek sculpture. It really represents the classical ideals of beauty and harmony. You can see this elegant statue at the Louvre Museum.

4. Liberty Leading the People

Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People is a very powerful depiction. It is the July Revolution of 1830 that symbolizes the fight for freedom. Accordingly, this painting was completed in 1830. It measures the size of 260 cm x 325 cm. It features the Liberty personified as a woman holding the French tricolor flag, leading a diverse group of people forward. The painting’s dramatic composition and rich use of color made it a symbol of French nationalism and the revolutionary spirit.

5. Winged Victory of Samothrace

The Winged Victory of Samothrace is a sculpture of ancient Greece executed in the period 200-190 BCE that is dedicated to an actually victorious fleet. Found on the island of Samothrace in 1863, it is a model of Hellenistic greatness with its action and details in drapery. The statue is 244 cm high. It was originally placed at the bow of a ship. The Winged Victory gains special celebrity due to the fact that it managed to embody both movement and grace in one go, which is why, arguably, it is therefore one of the most admired pieces at the Louvre Museum.

6. Slave Statues

Michelangelo’s Slave Statues popularly known as the Rebellious Slave and the Dying Slave, were executed from 1513 until 1516 for the tomb of Pope Julius II. These sculptures, which remain unfinished, embody the fighting spirit and suffering of humanity as conceived by Michelangelo: that of man’s soul struggling to free itself from the physical body. Over 2 meters tall, the statues represent an unusual view of Michelangelo’s creativity and the mastery of the human form.

7. Great Sphinx of Tanis

The Great Sphinx of Tanis is an ancient Egyptian statue that dates back to the 26th century BCE. Discovered in the ruins of the Temple of Amun in Tanis, the sphinx is one of the largest to measure over 4 meters in length found outside of Egypt. If we get deeper into the depiction of the statue, it contains great meaning. The Lion’s body with a man’s face makes the beholder understand the might and intelligence with which Pharaoh was equipped. The statue is the epitome of the height of grandeur that the ancient Egyptian civilization has enjoyed through centuries of existence.

8. The Raft of the Medusa

Théodore Géricault‘s The Raft of Medusa is a large-scale painting, completed in 1819, illustrating the scene after the loss of the French naval frigate Méduse. This painting, measuring 491 cm x 716 cm, shows how desperate survivors clung to a makeshift raft. It is with dramatic lighting and all the minute details of realism that this painting by Géricault turns into a harrowing portrayal of human misery and resilience, one of the many masterpieces from the school of French Romanticism.

9. The Coronation of Napoléon

Completed in 1807, the Coronation of Napoléon is a large painting measuring 621 cm x 979 cm by Jacques-Louis David. The painting shows the very moment of the coronation of Napoléon Bonaparte at Notre Dame Cathedral in 1804. This work indeed holds many exciting details, having more than 150 portraits of persons present during the ceremony. It is a master composition on the part of David’s genius; it is also one of the most critical paintings in the Louvre Museum because of its historical value.

10. The Lacemaker

Johannes Vermeer’s The Lacemaker, painted between 1669 and 1670, is a small but detailed portrayal of a seated young girl, concentrating on her lace. The picture was a very small one indeed, measuring only 24.5 cm x 21 cm, based very largely on concentration and detail. Vermeer creates a quiet, warm intimacy in the painting through the use of light and texture. Serenity in this painting shares itself with viewers over the ages due to the gentle beauty and quiet concentration of the subject, another masterpiece of Dutch Baroque art.

Conclusion

The Louvre Museum is a real treasure of human creativity that contains some of the most famous and influential pieces of art in history. Here are the top 10 must-see works that, of course, give just a taste of the rich cultural heritage preserved within these walls. These masterpieces will undoubtedly impress any visitor to the Louvre, be it an enthusiast or a casual guest. From the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa to the dramatic intensity of The Raft of the Medusa, each work has a story to tell that binds us to the past and propels us into the future.

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