The Louvre Museum, with its spectacular glass pyramid, is an icon of Paris and one of the world's most-visited cultural sites. Its vast and rich collections encompass all ages: from antiquity (the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory) and the Renaissance (the Mona Lisa, works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian) to 19th-century French masterpieces. The Louvre-Lens project, now underway, will see more of the enormous collection out of storage and on display at a second site in north Paris.
Book Tickets to Museums & Exhibitions here to avoid Line Ups and dissappointment
The museum was originally the main Royal Palace in Paris, and was built on the site of an earlier royal fortress, whose remains can be seen on the ground floor. Napoleon, who preferred the Palace of Fontainbleau, turned the Louvre into a repository for all the artworks he looted from throughout Europe - and it remains today one the top three museums in the world, alongside the British Museum and the Hermitage.
Permanent collections
Egyptian Antiquities
The permanent collection of Egyptian Antiquities presents works from c. 4000 BC to 4th century AD.
Temporary exhibitions
Raphael
This exhibition, organised in conjunction with the Prado Museum, will be one of the most important ever devoted to this great Italian painter.
Raphael11th October 2012 - 14th January 2013 (Add to calendar)
Top exhibits
Madam Recamier
Madam Recamier, 1800 was painted by Jacques - Louis David and is held in the Louvre, Paris, France.
Liberty Leading the People
Liberty Leading the People, 1830, was painted by Eugene Delacroix and is held in the Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus and Eurydice, c. 1650 was painted by Nicolas Poussin and is held in the Musee du Louvre, Paris, France.
Charles I in Hunting Dress
Charles I in Hunting Dress, c. 1635 was painted by Sir Anthony Van Dyck and is held in the Musee du Louvre, Paris, France.
An Old Man and his Grandson
An Old Man and his Grandson, 1490 was painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio and is held in the Louvre Museum, Paris, France.
Related pages
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519) was a leading Italian artist from the Renaissance period.
Salvator Rosa
Salvator Rosa, 1615 - 1673, was a leading 17th century Italian artist.
Jean Baptiste Camille Corot
Camille Corot, 1796 - 1875, was a leading 19th century French painter.
Andrea Mantegna
Andrea Mantegna, 1431 - 1506, was a 16th century Italian painter.
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Domenico Ghirlandaio, 1449 - 1494 was a leading 15th century Italian artist.
Alexandros of Antioch
Alexandros of Antioch, around 100BC was an artist of the Hellenistic age.
Antonio Allegri de Correggio
Antonio Correggio, 1489 - 1534, was a 16th century Italian artist.
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1696 - 1770 was an 18th century artist.
Giovanni Bellini
Giovanni Bellini, 1430 - 1516, was a leading Italian Artist.
Jan Brueghel
Jan Brueghel, 1568 - 1625, was a 17th century Belgium painter. He was the son of Pieter Brueghel.
Jan van Eyck
Jan van Eyck, 1390 - 1441, was a leading artist of the early Netherlands school.
Hans Holbein (the Younger)
Hans Holbein the Younger, 1497 - 1543, was an official court painter to Henry VIII in England.
Jean Antoine Watteau
Jean-Antoine Watteau, 1684 - 1721, was a French Rococo painter.
Paolo Caliari Veronese
Paolo Caliari Veronese, 1528 - 1588 was a leading 16th century Italian painter.
Jacques - Louis David
Jacques - Louis David, 1748 - 1825 was a Neoclassical painter.
Antonio Canaletto
Antonio Canaletto, 1697 - 1768, was and 18th century Italian painter.
Sandro Botticelli
Sandro Botticelli, 1445 - 1510, was a leading 15th century Italian painter.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens
Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) was a prolific 17th century Flemish baroque painter.
Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro)
Fra Angelico (1387 - 1455) was commissioned to decorate friars' cells with frescoes.
Pierre Auguste Renoir
Pierre Auguste Renoir (1841 - 1919) was a French painter who was a leading member of the Impressionists.
Claude Lorraine
Claude Lorraine, 1600 - 1682 was a 17th century French painter who moved to Rome and became famous for producing great classical landscapes.
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin, 1593 - 1665 was a well known 17th century French Classicist painter.
Francisco Goya
Francisco Goya, 1746 - 1828, was an important 18th century Spanish painter.
Raphael
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio), 1483 - 1520 was a leading Florentine painter.
Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt
Hermensz van Rijn Rembrandt, 1606 - 1669 was a leading 17th century Dutch painter.
Titian
Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), 1487 - 1576 was a leading 16th century Italian artist.
Jean - Auguste Ingres
Jean - Auguste Ingres, 1780 - 1867, was a leading 19th century French painter.
El Greco
El Greco (Domenikos Theotocopoulos), 1541 - 1614, was a leading 16th century european painter.
Sir Anthony Van Dyck
Sir Anthony Van Dyck, 1599 - 1641 was a leading painter in the court of Charles I in England.
Albrecht Durer
Albrecht Durer, 1471 - 1528, was a leading 16th century German painter.
Eugene Delacroix
Eugene Delacroix, 1798 - 1863, was a leading 19th century French painter.
Comments and reviews
Great museum - but you need at least two visits over two days to do it justice!
posted 16th December 2009 by james wood.
Map
Contact information
- Website
- www.louvre.fr
Related links
Other museums nearby
Luxembourg Museum
The Luxembourg Museum in Paris, France presents a wide range of high quality exhibitions.
Orsay Museum
The Musee d'Orsay in Paris, is housed in the former Orsay Railway station. The museum displays collections of art from the period 1848 to 1914.
Pompidou
The Pompidou Museum has one of leading collections of modern and contemporary art in Europe.
Maillol Museum
The Musée Maillol is dedicated to the sculptor, woodworker and artist, Aristide Maillol and was founded by Dina Vierny his model in 1995.
Pinacotheque de Paris
This space in Paris presents "must-see" exhibitions on leading artists.
