5 legendary must-see masterpieces at the Louvre

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

France has always been the center of not only fashion but also art. In particular, it is worth remembering the legendary Louvre Museum, which to this day has no equal. And all because it exhibits not only paintings of the neoclassical and romantic era, but also Renaissance masterpieces, and, of course, the most incredible sculptural works from around the world. As of the end of 2018, over ten million people from all over the world have visited this place. And if there is no opportunity to visit there in person, then let's get acquainted with some of the most striking, emotional, historically and culturally important works exhibited within these walls.

1. Oath of the Horace

This painting is another masterpiece by the Frenchman Jacques-Louis David, and it is also dedicated to Roman legends and myths. For the plot of his canvas, the author chose a story about warring cities - Rome and Alba Long. According to the myth, the obi of these cities sent three of their best fighters who could resolve the dispute between the authorities. The trinity that wins in the process will be the winning side in the war. The painting depicts three Roman representatives - brothers from the Horace family. The canvas depicts the moment when they greet their father before the trip, and he, in turn, holds out swords to them. According to legend, only one of the brothers will survive the competition and defeat the Curiati trinity from the city of Alba Long.

On the right side of the picture, Jacques-Louis painted a woman named Camille. She is the sister of the brothers from Rome, but at the same time she is engaged to one of the Curiati brothers. On the canvas, a woman bursts into tears, because she realizes that no matter which side wins, she risks losing a loved one or family member. The canvas, according to art critics, is dedicated to the deep theme of patriotism and sacrifices in the name of their country. This painting was at the very beginning highly praised by critics in 1784 and to this day is considered a masterpiece in the neoclassical genre.

2. Raft of Medusa

Medusa is one of the largest warships from France, which went through the Napoleonic wars. However, despite her luck in the fighting, she still crashed in 1816 on a sandbank while transporting people to Senegal. At that time, there were over four hundred people on board, but only one hundred and fifty fit on the raft. However, those who ended up on the raft did not win at all, because they were subjected to numerous trials. So, some of them ended up in ocean waters during a storm, others organized an uprising and were killed by the military, and still others, when water and food ran out, became cannibals, throwing corpses into the water.

After almost two weeks of drifting in an unknown direction, the raft was finally found, but only fifteen people were found on it. This event was a kind of international scandal, which the author of the painting, Theodore Gericault, thoroughly studied, before taking up the brush. "The Raft of Medusa" is considered an incredibly influential canvas that revealed all facets of the genre of romanticism, as well as perpetuating this historical moment in memory.

3. Freedom leading the people

The Goddess Liberty was portrayed by creators and committed to different cultures, and therefore it is not surprising that she received a second life during the French Revolution. Many of her allegorical images have literally become symbols of what is happening in France, and her figure has become a kind of reflection of the French Republic as a whole. Painted in 1830, the painting by Eugene Delacroix demonstrates the revolution that took place in the same year, when the people of France decided to overthrow their king, Charles X. In the center of the canvas is a woman who symbolizes Freedom - strong, persistent and strong. In one hand she holds the French flag, and in the other she holds a weapon. This painting is considered incredibly important in a cultural and historical sense.

Note that it was this painting that inspired the creators of the legendary Statue of Liberty, and also served as a muse for such a writer as Victor Hugo. During its inception, the painting was a symbol against the monarchy and praised the republican system. Therefore, it is not surprising that Eugene's work took first place in the list of the most influential paintings of the era of Romanism. Note also that this canvas is the most iconic work of a Frenchman in the entire museum.

4. Venus de Milo

Historians point out that perhaps this work of art was discovered by a certain peasant named Yorgos Kentrotas in 1820. It should be noted that the sculpture was originally found in parts off the coast of the Aegean Sea. Soon she was presented as a gift to the King of France - Louis XVIII, thanks to whom she later appeared in the museum. Many historians also believe that Aphrodite is actually the so-called Venus, which is a collective image of the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and children. It is also unknown who actually authored this masterpiece: many speculate that it may have been the so-called Antiochian Alexandros, whose works of the Hellenistic period are poorly known. In addition to the fact that the whole world is discussing the reason for the absence of hands from the statue, it is worth noting that it was originally richly decorated with earrings, bracelets and even a headband that were lost.

Now it is one of the most famous symbols of modern art culture. Venus de Milo, in turn, had a huge influence not only on sculptors, but even on the authors of paintings, including the legendary Salvador Dali.

5. Mona Lisa

Everyone knows that the author of this masterpiece is Leonardo da Vinci. In turn, he was and remains the most legendary figure of the Italian Renaissance. This painting has obviously become the most recognizable work of art. They make stories about her, make films, write songs, make parodies and watch them on the Internet and live every day. Her fame lies not only in her unique style and some of the mysteries that go around her, but also in the woman's interesting smile. She is better known to the world as “la Gioconda”, which means “the one who laughs”. To this day, it is not known who is depicted on the canvas. Some biographers believe that this is a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the merchant's wife of that time.

It is also worth mentioning an interesting fact: Da Vinci never finished his painting, because he constantly made more and more changes and strove for the ideal. And therefore, in all his life, she was never exhibited and shown to the world, because the artist hid it in every possible way. "Mona Lisa" also appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the picture that has the largest insurance fund. It was estimated to be worth about $ 100 million as of 1962, and if you add inflation to that, the painting has risen in price by about $ 100 million. This painting is also not only the most famous in the whole world, but also the most visited within the museum.

Continuing the topic - around which there have been disputes for decades.