5 outstanding masterpieces not to be missed in the Louvre

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

For a long time, the Louvre was far from serving as a museum, but was a respectable royal residence, which only in 1793 acquired the importance and the view that we are used to seeing today. The museum was created in order to exhibit all the masterpieces included in the list of art objects from the time of the French Revolution. At the time of its opening, the museum exhibited about five hundred exhibits. Today, its collection has grown significantly, and it is not at all surprising that the Louvre is considered the largest museum in the world. Therefore, let's take a closer look at some of the most outstanding works that have the honor of exhibiting in this legendary place.

1. Sabine women

The author of this picture was the French artist Jacques-Louis David, who worked in the neoclassical genre and was considered the greatest creator in his style. This work was created in 1799, and revealed one of the most popular themes of the time. The artist decided to convey on his canvas one of the most popular myths from Rome. So, we are talking about the Sabine women and the tragedy that happened to them. According to the myth, after the great and ancient Rome was founded, its male inhabitants went in search of women, whom they intended to make their wives, thereby creating such coveted families. However, they failed to come to an agreement with the Sabines - residents of nearby settlements. This prompted them to kidnap young and beautiful girls soon, which, in fact, is depicted in the picture. A similar scene was often described by artists around the 15th century. On the same canvas, Jacques-Louis shows how a Sabine woman intervenes in the course of the battle in order to reconcile the two warring parties. A lady named Gersilia, who was the wife of Romulus and the daughter of Titus Tatius, finds herself in the center of the canvas with her own children between father and husband. The theme of this picture was very important for that time, since such an act of the Sabine women showed that love is much more important than conflicts, which became commonplace during the French Revolution.

2. A dying slave

In the Louvre, in addition to paintings, you can also find sculptures. And the most famous representatives of this art form are the creations of Michelangelo. Thus, the museum displays two of his works on the theme of slavery, namely "The Dying" and "Rebel Slave". These works were created around 1513 in order to decorate the future tomb of Pope Julius II. However, during his prolonged weakness and illness, which overtook the author in 1544-1546, he was in the house of one of the Florentines, namely, Roberto Strozzi. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that these two statues were transferred to him, as gratitude for the help and care provided. After Roberto was expelled from Italy, he moved with his family to France, where these two masterpieces migrated with him. In 1793, they become part of the French National Collection, which consisted of the finest works of art from around the world. Modern historians and art historians believe that the sculpture of a dying slave symbolizes the moment of death, namely the very moment when the body loses its strength and only a lifeless shell remains. However, there are other opinions that contradict each other.

3. Big Odalisque

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres is an outstanding creator of the 19th century, who became famous in the genre of portrait painting. The French term "odalisque" has a rather complicated history of origin. It is believed to be derived from the Turkish word "odalık", which meant a cleaning lady or maid. In the modern interpretation, the term is used to denote a slave and a priestess of love, respectively. This painting was commissioned for herself by no one other than the sister of Napoleon himself - Caroline Bonaparte-Murat, who ruled in Naples. Apparently, the artist drew his inspiration from the famous Titian and his creation "Venus of Urbino". However, unlike this masterpiece, the painting by Jean-Auguste, according to research, has a number of errors. For example, it lacks anatomical precision, and its proportions are far from real human proportions. So, an odalisque has a curved spine and a pelvic line, and one of its arms is noticeably shorter than the other. It was because of the lack of precision in anatomy that the painting was subject to insane criticism. However, today it is praised just for this, believing that such "inaccuracies" have their own, symbolic, hidden meaning. For example, many art historians believe that such forms of the pelvic bone, which were much longer than real ones, note that odalisques mainly existed exclusively to satisfy the sexual needs of the sultans.

4. Death of Sardanapalus

The author of this painting is Eugene Delacroix, whose name was very significant at the height of the 19th century. He worked in the romantic genre and was also considered one of the most prominent authors of his era. If you believe the Greek writer Ctesias, then Sardanapalus is a real person who was considered the last ruling person of Assyria. However, modern historians argue that this is only fiction, and Sardanapalus actually never was in the Assyrian throne. However, this did not prevent Eugene from portraying in a romantic manner the moment of his death, when the king, being incredibly self-confident and domineering, eventually dies during an orgy. This painting is the most famous of the sets on a similar theme, and it paints Sardanapalus as an outside observer who calmly contemplates how his possessions are slowly destroyed and turned to dust. The canvas also depicts women, someone naked, and someone on the contrary, in clothes, who resist men. Among other things, the picture was known for its style of writing - bright colors and broad strokes, and also presented a kind of challenge to the neoclassicism of that time.

5. Winged victory of Samothrace

This Hellenistic statue is in fact the hallmark of the Louvre, and is also considered in many ways the most famous sculpture in the whole world. Unfortunately, information about its author has not reached the present day, but it is known that she depicts the goddess of victory - Nika. Samothrace is an island located in the north of the Aegean Sea. This sculpture was previously located in the Sanctuary of the Great Gods on this island, being included in a whole complex of temple statues. The work itself is presented in the form of a woman in flying clothes, who descends from heaven to a triumphant crowd. Alas, many of its details, including the head and arms, have been lost in time. Scientists believe that the goddess's right hand was raised to her mouth, thereby symbolizing a cry of victory. It is also unknown what event the creation of this masterpiece was timed to. Scholars are torn between the Battle of Salamis (306 BC) and the Battle of Actium (31 BC). Note also that art critic H. Janson called this sculpture an outstanding masterpiece of Hellenism.

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