Louvre Museum

The Mona Lisa at Louvre Museum is the most renowned portrait in the world, representing Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a Florentine silk merchant. Leonardo da Vinci's use of subtle contours and contrasts to portray the enigmatic smile of the lady has captivated art enthusiasts for centuries. One of the famous admirers of the Mona Lisa was King François I, who bought the painting from Leonardo da Vinci in 1518. This way, the iconic Venetian painting entered the royal collections and has been exhibited in the largest room of the Louvre, the Salle des États, since the French Revolution.

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The Wedding at Cana, also known as Les Noces de Cana, is the Louvre Museum's largest artwork. Paolo Caliari, also known as Véronèse, completed the 6-metre-tall and 10-metre-wide canvas painting in 1563. This painting is so large that it spans an entire museum wall from floor to ceiling. It depicts an extraordinary biblical wedding scene at Cana in Galilee, featuring more than 100 figures. This painting was originally intended to decorate a Venetian monastery but was brought to France by Napoleon Bonaparte's army.

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Clad in red marble, the Vénus de Milo is an astounding sculpture standing in the Galerie des Antiques of the Louvre Musuem. This sculpture, which dates back to 100 BC, shows the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. Until 1820, this masterpiece remained undiscovered on the Greek island of Milos for several decades. It was later presented to French King Louis XVIII. While the majority of the statue was recovered, other sections, such as her arms, could not be found, leaving room for numerous assumptions about what the actual statue must have looked like.

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This magnificent statue, also known as the Nike of Samothrace, is a sight to behold. The sculpture represents the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike, and was created around 190 BC by an unknown artist at Louvre museum. It was later unearthed on the island of Samothrace and has been on exhibit at the Louvre Museum since 1884. The Winged Victory of Samothrace, carved in Greek style in Parian marble, stands perched on the prow of a ship and is most notable for its realistic depiction of the Goddess.

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The French artist Jacques-Louis David created this spectacular painting to document the coronation of Napoléon I, who ascended the throne in 1804. The entire coronation scene at the Notre Dame Cathedral has been masterfully depicted on a massive six-by-ten-metre canvas. This painting is particularly recognized for its meticulously detailed and lifelike depiction of the entire event, featuring around 146 figures at Louvre museum. Aside from its artistic significance, this picture is an essential icon of French history and the reign of Napoléon I.

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This is yet another painting depicting an important event in French history at Louvre museum. It represents the Parisian uprising of July 1830, when Republicans revolted against the government. Eugène Delacroix caught the essence of the historical event by presenting Liberty as a symbol of courage and fighting energy, clutching a French flag in one hand and a gun in the other. Delacroix was also a passionate Republican, and it is likely that he created this painting to show his support for the cause.

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The romance of mythological lovers Cupid and Psyche is brilliantly depicted in this exquisite marble sculpture by Italian artist Antonio Canova in the Neoclassical style at Louvre museum Paris. The artwork depicts meticulously detailed and life-like figures of a winged Cupid leaning towards Psyche to kiss her and free her from a sleeping spell. Antonio Canova's exquisite representation of this intimate moment has never failed to captivate viewers since it was first displayed in the Louvre Museum in 1824. You can still find it in the sun-lit Galerie Michel-Ange room of the museum Louvre.

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The Lacemaker, also known as La Dentellière, was painted by Jan Vermeer in the 17th century and is listed among the most beautiful paintings of all time and is present at Louvre Museum. The artwork depicts a young girl laboriously engaged in the art of lacemaking. The beauty of this artwork is the aesthetic way in which the daily lives of common people have been captured. This artwork was appreciated not just by art lovers, but also by great artists such as Renoir and Van Gogh.

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Guillaume Coustou created the stunning sculpture Marly Horses, also known as The Chevaux de Marly, in the 18th century and is there at Louvre museum. French King Louis XIV commissioned this work of art to beautify the horse pond at Château de Marly. To create this masterpiece, Guillaume Coustou drew inspiration from ancient Roman statues that adorn the Quirinal Palace in Rome. He ultimately finished the sculpture in Carrara marble in 1745, depicting the life-like groomsmen striving to control the two horses. You may see this magnificent sculpture at Louvre museum in the Richelieu Wing, which has been renamed Cour Marly in its honour.

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Guido di Pietro's Coronation of the Virgin is one of the most outstanding mediaeval paintings in the Louvre Museum. This work was created for the convent of San Domenico in Fiesole and took two years to finish between 1430 and 1432. This art piece depicts the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the event in which she was welcomed into heaven and crowned by Jesus Christ. The scene is remarkably detailed and painted in vibrant colours, with Mary and Christ as the main subjects surrounded by a large group of believers.

A single look at this painting is enough to tell that a lot is going on in the scene. Dating back to the 17th century, the Card Sharp with the Ace of Diamonds was created by George De La Tour, depicting people gathered around a table playing cards. The expressions of the figures and the intricate details give viewers the impression that they are watching a real game of cards. The painting leaves the viewers in a state of suspense at Louvre museum as to what would happen next.

The Portrait de l'Artiste Tenant un Chardon was one of the earliest stand-alone self-portraits in the history of European art at Louvre museum. A 22-year-old, Albrecht Dürer painted this self-portrait in 1493 using his reflection in the mirror. The artist is portrayed holding a thistle in the artwork, which could be a symbol of faithfulness or a reference to Christ's Passion. This artwork, like many 16th-century portrait paintings, contains a three-quarter length bust composition.

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Michelangelo created the spectacular marble sculpture The Rebellious Slave in 1513. This 2.15-meter-tall statue was commissioned to adorn Pope Julius II's tomb. However, the project was cancelled, and as a result, the statue was left incomplete. That is why, if you look closely, you will notice chisel marks on the statue. Even though the sculpture is unfinished, the Rebellious Slave is a testament to the technical skills and the emotional depth of Michelangelo at Louvre Museum.

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The French Crown jewels are symbols of the wealth and power of the French royal families. The royal crowns were specifically designed for each king and embellished with valuable jewels like diamonds, emeralds, pearls, rubies, topaz, and so on. Inside the Louvre Museum, you can see the Crown of Louis XV, which is made up of two rows of pearls and eight stones set with diamonds. The Regent diamond, Duchesse of Angoulême Tiara, and Crown of Empress Eugénie are some of the most valuable items you should not miss!

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Hyacinthe Rigaud, a French royal portrait artist, made this painting of French King Louis XIV in 1701. The artwork was initially created as a gift to King Philip V of Spain in Louvre musuem. The French court, however, loved the painting so much that it was never presented to the Spanish king. This portrait is notable for the excellent detailing done to show King Louis XIV's attire as well as the luxurious setting that indicates the French power and splendour.

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