ART PIECES AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
Here we are going to focus on one Museum at a time, each month. We also encourage you, our dear artists, to leave comments on what museums YOU want to see, or even submit a specific art piece you don't know where its from; we can find that out for you!
Take a Look! Also at the end there is a map wher you can find the Louvre.
1) MUSEÉ DU LOUVRE
By Leonardo da Vinci.
📍 It can be found in the Louvre, France; in a room deep within the museum, in a wall placed at the centre of the room; though it is on the side that doesn't look at the entryway.
If you want to go see it, you shall have patience, since most of the time there are people linning up to see it. But that may be in the higher more busy times, when tourists go.
We are not going to explain more because you, our very well cultured artists, probably already know about this art piece, since it is one of the most famous one there are.
Mona Lisa
The Aphrodite of Milo (in Greek, Αφροδίτη της Μήλου), better known as Venus de Milo, is one of the most representative statues of the Hellenistic period of Greek sculpture, and one of the most famous sculptures of ancient Greece. It was created sometime between 130 BC. C. and 100 BC. C., and is believed to represent Aphrodite (called Venus in Roman mythology), goddess of love and beauty;2 it measures approximately 2.11 m high.
📍 The Louvre Antiquities Gallery, Gallery 16.
Venus
The Victory of Samothrace, also known as Nike of Samothrace, is a sculpture belonging to the Rhodian school of the Hellenistic period. It is located in the Louvre Museum, Paris. It represents Nike, the goddess of victory. It has a height of 2.75 m and was made of marble around 190 BC.
📍 At the top of the Daru Staircase stands the Victory of Samothrace, one of the most famous statues in the Louvre Museum.
Nike
by Eugène Delacroix.
The canvas symbolizes the Revolution of 1830 on July 28, a scene in which the people of Paris take up arms against King Charles X of France.
📍Gallery 77 on the first floor in the Denon wing.
Liberty Guiding the People
by Antonio Canova (1757-1822).
Fun fact: its Mila's favourite statue!
The passage you describe from Apuleius illustrates a crucial moment in the story of Psyche. Psyche, warned by Venus, disobeys the command not to open the jar containing divine beauty. Instead of finding beauty, she releases the "Sleep of Innermost Darkness," which plunges her into unconsciousness. This moment is captured by Canova in his sculpture, depicting Psyche as a "corpse asleep," revived by Cupid. The artwork features symbolic details, such as the jar lying beside her and Cupid's arrow, which alludes to the act of awakening Psyche. These elements reflect Psyche's curiosity and the consequences of her disobedience, emphasizing themes of desire and transformation.
"It is regarded as a masterpiece of Neoclassical sculpture, but shows the mythological lovers at a moment of great emotion, characteristic of the emerging movement of Romanticism. It represents the god Cupid in the height of love and tenderness, immediately after awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss."
📍Room 4, Michelangelo gallery
Psyche Revived By Cupid's Kiss
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by Jacques-Louis David. (21 of dicember, 1805–november, 1807).
Era: neoclassisism
The canvas represents the capacity and power of the new monarch, who is no longer a descendant of nobles or kings, Napoleon is the enlightened monarch. The painting is so gigantic that Bonaparte himself would later say of the work: This is not painting: you can walk through this painting!
The coronation of Napoleon
by Paolo Veronese
The Wedding at Cana is one of the most famous paintings by the Italian painter Paolo Veronese, known as Veronese. It is made in oil on canvas and was painted between 1562 and 1563. It is a colossal work as it measures 6.69 x 9.90m.
At over 6 metres high and almost 10 metres wide, The Wedding Feast at Cana is the biggest painting in the Louvre. It depicts an extraordinary banquet with a crowd of some 130 different characters in a blaze of light and colour.
📍Room 711, Denon Wing, Level 1
The Wedding Feast at Cana
by Théodore Géricault (1818 & 1819).
Period: Romanticism.
Height: 4,91 m x 7,16 m
"The Raft of the Medusa" is considered the flagship painting of the French Romantic movement and is one of the stars in the Louvre Museum. Mainly, it stands out for representing tragedy in a visceral way and moving away from the canons of classical beauty.
📍 Usually Denon Wing – Level 1 – Room 700 – Romanticism (Salle Mollien).
Raft of the Medusa
by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
Period: Romanticism.
Height: 1,9 m x 1,2 m
In The Virgin of the Rocks, da Vinci illustrates the first meeting of the infants Jesus and John the Baptist in a protected rocky grotto where, in the midst of their flight, they have paused to rest.
📍 Peintures italiennes, room 5: Grande Galerie. Denon, 1st floor.
Virgin of the rocks
by Miguel Ángel (1513-1516)
Period: Renaissance, Italian Renaissance, High Renaissance.
Height: about 230cm high.
This work was designed to decorate the funeral monument of Pope Julius II who, in 1505, commissioned Michelangelo to create the entire tomb.
📍In a room in the southern wing of the ground floor, where the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are presented.
Dying Slave
by Jacques-Louis David (1784)
Oath of the Horatii is a work by Jacques-Louis David made in 1784, before the French Revolution. The painting has a dimension of 330 x 425 cm and is kept in the Louvre Museum. He is considered the paradigm of neoclassical painting.
📍Denon wing, level 1, room 702 (Salle Daru)
Oath of the Horatii
by unkown
It is currently located in the Musée du Louvre, Paris. The statue is also known as Diana with a Doe (French: Diane à la biche), Diana Huntress (French: Diane chasseresse), and Diana of Ephesus. It is a partially restored Roman copy (1st or 2nd century CE) of a lost Greek bronze original attributed to Leochares.
Diana was originally a goddess of the hunt, related to animals and wild lands. She later became a moon goddess, supplanting Luna and also being an emblem of chastity.
Like the godess of nature she is accompanied by a deer.
📍Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities of the Louvre Greek antiquities, room 17
Diana de Versailles
by Leonardo da Vinci
Period: High Renaissance
Creation date: 1490–1499
📍Room 710, Wing Denon, Level 1
La belle ferronière
by Gian Lorenzo Bernini
Sleeping Hermaphroditus is a marble sculpture that represents the character from Greek mythology Hermaphroditus, son of Hermes and Aphrodite, and who became a hermaphrodite, life-size and lying on a mattress. The mattress was sculpted and added in 1620 by the Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Berninin - Wikipedia
📍room V of the Borghese Gallery.
Sleeping Hermaphroditus
by Rafael Sanzio (1507).
La Vierge à l'Enfant avec le petit saint Jean-Baptiste.
📍painting department of the Louvre Room 710
La Belle Jardinière
by Caravaggio (1604-1606)
Period: Baroque
Realistically depicts the pain of losing a loved one.
📍Denon Wing Room 11.
La Mort de la Vierge
Period: Hellenistic art
Although the statue was named Gladiator, we know that it does not represent one because the ancient Roman gladiators did not usually appear naked. On the contrary, today it is believed that the figure represents Achilles. The hero would be fighting an enemy on horseback. In his left arm he would have held a shield that is now lost. The brace he held himself with can still be seen around his arm. At the same time, while protecting his body, he attacked with the sword that he would have carried in his right hand.
📍Louvre M A 527
Borghese Gladiator
by Miguel Ángel (1513)
Twin to the dying slave.
📍In a room in the southern wing of the ground floor, where the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are presented.
Rebellious Slave
MUSEÉ DU LOUVRE
If you are not from Paris, France, then this step might be a tad more expensive than the other ones, since you will be travelling by plane to get there, if you're not coming from other Europe countries that are closer and therefore can travel by train or metro if you are already in Paris.
So, step one would be: book your plane, train or metro tickets to Paris, France.
The metro to take is: Metro: Louvre – Rivoli Station
Step One: Book your trip
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Remember:
1. Get a map of the museum. It is physically available on 13 languages at the desk or you can download it in their website here: http://www.louvre.fr/plan
Enter the artwork you are looking for and it shows you the way via a 3D itinerary through the museum. Handy! It also gives access to 600 comprehensive descriptions of artworks and of significant parts of the Louvre (free) and their audio commentaries (for a fee). Available in 7 languages, the application is full of essential information. And if you forgot to download it before leaving, don't panic as you can do it on the spot by connecting to the free wi-fi network "Louvre_Wifi_Gratuit".
2. The museum is very large so you'll need more than 3 hours there.
3. When its the time for the tourists to go, there will be a LOT of them, so remember to have patience and be smart about how you will go through the museum.
For instance, choose the entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre, which guarantees a smoother passage. For an unforgettable evening, enjoy late-night opening (until 9.45pm) on Fridays, when the crowds are less big.
4. Take a break!
"Remplacer texte existant par: Ready for lunch? Recharge your batteries at any of the 15 cafés and restaurants scattered throughout the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries or the Carrousel du Louvre and offering on-site or take-out options. On the first floor of the Denon wing, enjoy the charm of Café Mollien, open onto the French painting rooms for a quick lunch or a small snack. In the Richelieu wing, a few steps away from Napoleon III’s appartments, Café Richelieu serves delicacies from Maison Angélina, a true Parisian institution. Bistrot Benoît welcomes you under the Pyramid, in the heart of the museum, in a zinc and brass décor reminiscent of the old bistros of the capital. You will taste typical dishes of French savoir-faire. Savour the exceptional view from the Café Marly ; or sit in the shade of the trees of the Jardin des Tuileries. The choice is yours!" - https://www.visitparisregion.com/en/inspiration/top-experiences/five-tips-for-a-stress-free-visit-to-the-louvre
Step Three: While you're there
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Step two would be: set a date for your visit to the Louvre.
Tip: Buy your ticket in advance to avoid queuing at the ticket desks!
You can buy them here:
https://www.ticketlouvre.fr/louvre/b2c/index.cfm/home
Specifying a specific date and time slot, e-tickets guarantee entry within the half hour. You can use the priority queues in front of the Pyramid or the entrance via the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall. The Passage Richelieu entrance off the Rue de Rivoli is also reserved for e-ticket holders.
Step Two: Museé de Louvre
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Take notes of what we have told you in this part of the blog to go focused on the MUST SEE art pieces we have mentioned and therefore you can have a smarter route in mind.
BUT... Don't forget... ALL the paintings and statues are in the Louvre for a reason, so don't only go see the most famous ones -obvioulsly you can just do that and consider the visit a success- but we highly recommend to also take your time to appreciate the rest of the art that its there.
Step Four: Don't forget!
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7 key points you can't miss in the Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are one of the largest art collections in the world. A testament to the Catholic Church's artistic patronage over the centuries, this space is made up of 10 museums filled with paintings, sculptures, frescoes, and other artistic artifacts. Throughout the tour, you'll find a multitude of rooms and artifacts that will catch your eye.
1. The Vatican Museums Picture Gallery
This collection of 460 paintings, displayed in 18 rooms, is one of the highlights of any Vatican Museums tour. It was inaugurated in 1932 by Pope Pius XI, with works previously housed in various Vatican apostolic buildings. The Picture Gallery's collection includes works by artists such as Leonardo, Caravaggio, Raphael, and Giotto, so Renaissance art lovers who have purchased tickets to the Vatican Museums will especially enjoy this section of the museum.
2. The Gallery of Geographical Maps of the Vatican
One of the most fascinating spaces within the Vatican Museums. It is a long room with topographical maps of the regions of Italy painted on its side walls by Ignazio Danti, commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII.
And if that weren't enough, the room is crowned by a luminous vault from which you won't be able to tear your gaze away. The Gallery of Maps, although not the main reason for many to buy tickets to the Vatican Museums, is undoubtedly a space worth spending a few minutes to appreciate its details during a visit to the Vatican.
3. The Pio Clementino Museum
If you are a lover of sculpture, and especially classical Greek sculptures, you cannot miss a visit to the Vatican Museums.
It houses two of the most important sculptures in the entire Vatican Museums complex: the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoön and His Sons sculpture group, both Roman copies of the Greek originals.
This complex of twelve rooms and a courtyard was the first of the Vatican Museums, founded in 1771 by Pope Clement XIV. It is another highlight of any Vatican Museums tour.
4. Raphael's Rooms
While Michelangelo was painting the Sistine Chapel, another of the great Renaissance artists was commissioned to paint the apartments of Julius II. As the names of the rooms indicate, the artist chosen for this task was Raphael, who began the work in 1508 until 1520, the year of his death, after which it was continued by his pupils for four more years.
These four rooms feature impressive frescoes on their walls and ceilings, making stopping to admire them a fascinating experience.
5. Chariot Pavilion
The Chariot Pavilion is located in the Papal Apartment of the Lateran Apostolic Palace, in a separate section of the Historical Museum. It was created by Pope Paul VI in 1973.
As its name suggests, this unusual room houses chariots, mounts, automobiles, and palanquins used by
various pontiffs throughout the centuries. While it doesn't come close to the magnificence of the other rooms,
it is a rather unusual and unique space, making it worth a visit during your visit to the Vatican Museums.
6. The Bramante Staircase
At the end of the tour, just outside the Museums, you'll find a spectacular spiral staircase called the Bramante Staircase.
The original staircase was designed in 1512 by Donato Bramante to connect Innocent VIII's Belvedere Palace with the city. That staircase was later replaced by the one currently on display, created by Giuseppe Momo in 1932.
We recommend observing the view from both above and below the stairs at the end of your visit to the Vatican Museums. We promise you won't be disappointed.
7. The Sistine Chapel
Finally, the most visited and anticipated spot during your tour of the Vatican Museums: Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.
This is one of the most renowned works of art in history, so it's normal to find large crowds of tourists inside. However, despite being smaller than several of the other rooms in the museums, seeing it with the naked eye is an unforgettable aesthetic experience that you can't miss during your visit to the Vatican Museums.
We recommend taking a few minutes to explore the paintings covering the vault, which depict everything from the world-famous Creation of Adam (perhaps the most reproduced fragment of the entire Chapel) to the Last Judgment, which covers the altar wall.
Without a doubt, visiting the Vatican Museums is an unparalleled opportunity to see some of the world's greatest works of art. Book your visit today and immerse yourself with us in this unique experience.
Take a Look! Also at the end there is a map wher you can find the Museum
2) MUSEI VATICANI
by Caravaggio (1604-1606)
Period: Baroque
Realistically depicts the pain of losing a loved one.
📍Denon Wing Room 11.
La Mort de la Vierge
Period: Hellenistic art
Although the statue was named Gladiator, we know that it does not represent one because the ancient Roman gladiators did not usually appear naked. On the contrary, today it is believed that the figure represents Achilles. The hero would be fighting an enemy on horseback. In his left arm he would have held a shield that is now lost. The brace he held himself with can still be seen around his arm. At the same time, while protecting his body, he attacked with the sword that he would have carried in his right hand.
📍Louvre M A 527
Borghese Gladiator
by Miguel Ángel (1513)
Twin to the dying slave.
📍In a room in the southern wing of the ground floor, where the Middle Ages and the Renaissance are presented.
Rebellious Slave