The Louvre is arguably the most famous museum in the world. Not only does it house some of the greatest works of art, but it is also an architectural work with facades and interiors commissioned by royalty, and designed and decorated by craftsmen. Since the first medieval stones were laid at the end of the 13th century, the Louvre has seen many changes - numerous ambitious projects have shaped and reshaped its walls, new wings, halls and galleries have been built, parts have been destroyed by fire, and recent additions have given it yet a different character. This book encompasses eight centuries of the Louvre's architecture and design. From the bare stones of the medieval fortress to the grand colonnades and arches of the Renaissance, from the gold and crystal apartments of Napoleon III to I.M. Pei's pyramid, the long history of the Louvre is brought to life here in a series of colour photographs. A brief text traces the stories that have shaped the building and rebuilding of the museum.

The architecture of the Louvre

Bresc-Bautier, Geneviève

Thames&Hudson

Every year, more than 10 million visitors from around the world visit the Louvre's 68,000 square metres of gallery space containing more than 35,000 works of art. The Louvre is widely considered the most innovative of the world's pre-eminent museums. The Louvre explores the eight centuries of fascinating history surrounding the museum, which began in the Middle Ages as a fortress, then becoming a royal residence which continued to enlarge, expand, and develop over the centuries with the most brilliant architects and painters being called to work on this architectural masterpiece. In 1793, the Louvre confirmed its role as a "temple of the arts" when it was made the first national museum open to the public. From then on, its collections continued to grow from its roots in the old royal collection with acquisitions, archaeological discoveries, donations, and bequests. Centuries of growth, evolution, and transformation culminated in the 1980s with the "Grand Louvre" project symbolised by I.M. Pei's world-famous and critically acclaimed modernist pyramid. This gorgeous tome is a celebration of an enduring institution and the magnificent works of art that it houses. Rather than showing only isolated images of the artworks themselves, this book shows many of the pieces in the context of the beautiful galleries and spaces where they live, to give the reader an experience similar to being at the Louvre.

The Louvre: The History, The Collections, The Architecture

Arts & Photography

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

Rizzoli Electa

Félix Duban (1798-1870): Les couleurs de l'architecte

Reference

COLLECTIFS

Le Normand-Romain, Antoinette

Wittman, Richard

Mathieu, Caroline

Leniaud, Jean-Michel

PONS, Bruno

Babelon, Jean-Pierre

Pingeot, Anne

Rose, Francesca

Boudon, Françoise

Middleton, Robin

Thaon, Bernard

Pinon, Pierre

Van Zanten, David

Jacques, Annie

Jacquin, Emmanuel

Forest, Marie-Cécile

Foucart, Bruno

Garleff, Jörn

Gatouillat, Françoise

Langlois, Corinne

Bascon, Marc

Bercé, Françoise

Berdgdoll, Barry

Luynes, Thomas de

Driskel, Michael Paul

Foreign Language Study & Reference

Gallimard]

MEMOIRES DU LOUVRE

Showcasing one of the world’s most prestigious museums, this history tells the tale of the eight centuries that shaped the Louvre in Paris, from the monumental royal palace’s beginnings as a medieval fortress to the “Great Louvre” known worldwide today. Providing an in-depth visual and historical depiction of its various incarnations, this glamorous, dramatic, and breathtaking saga reads like a novel, offering unique insights into the history of France and Europe.

The Louvre: The Tale of a Palace

History & Criticism

Somogy Editions D'Art

Whether applied to portrait, stately monuments, sculptures or religious artifacts, there is in France a very strong and very old tradition, combined to exceptional know-how, when it comes to using bronze as material. This craftsmanship reached its pinnacle between the XVIth and the XVIIIth century. This golden age of French bronze was fueled by a large number of commissions, and most notably royal ones. The result of extensive research by the world?s best specialists of the subject, this book will whisk its readers for a journey into the Great Century and the age of enlightenment, under the reigns of Louis XIII to Louis XVI, to discover technical gems and sumptuous pieces from the world?s leading institutions, such as the Louvre, the MET or The British royal collections.

Cast in Bronze: French Sculpture from Renaissance to Revolution

Somogy Art Publishers

Le Louvre réédition

CITADELLES

Sculpture 2: From the Renaissance to the Present Day (Jumbo Series)

Rose, Barbara

Hohl, Reinhold

Dell'Arco, Maurizio Fagiolo

Ceysson, Bernard

DAVAL, Jean-Luc

Souchal, Francois

Meschede, Friedrich

Romain, Antoinette Le Normand

Sculpture

Taschen

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