Few of my favourites from Louvre painting gallery : Louvre 2

The master piece of Leonardo Da Vinci, Mona Lisa,  is undoubtedly the most visited artefact in Louvre museum. The cryptic expression of Mona Lisa remained subject of interest for years. Leonardo started this oil painting in 1503 but continue refining  it till 1516.

Also known as La Gioconda,  wife of Francesco del Giocondo, Mona lisa earned her worldwide fame in the 20th century not only due to her outstanding painting quality and cryptic look, but more so because of the number of events related to her. Theft , stoning and travel from west to east , made her more and more well known each day.  Time has been harsh to her, colors darkened, the sleeves were once saffron yellow. With years of curatorial maintenance, finally she is kept behind a bullet proof glass and illuminated by a specially designed LED light for her. The most significant aspect of this painting perhaps was ” Renaissance interest in Platonic theory, when the beauty of the body was seen as that of the soul”.

Masterpiece – as they rightfully call the visitor trail to Medieval paintings, is really a must while visiting Louvre. From the pyramid , you have to go down and buy tickets below. Then head towards sully wing , you will see directions in short intervals showing your way to Mona Lisa. Once you follow the directions you will reach room number 74, visit all the room around to see the medieval european  masterpieces. 

Grande Odalisque

Ingres was known  for painting exotic scenes and female nudes and the sensual image of a naked woman in a harem, Grand Odalisque is perhaps the most famous paining by him.  Ingres, experimented  giving priority to draftsmanship, pure lines, and sensual curves, distorting anatomy. Here, her right breast and left leg are joined to the rest of the body in a curious fashion, was severely berated by the contemporary critics . But, Ingres was able to influence modern artists like Picasso, who used similar recomposing of bodies to suit artists’ purposes.

The Intervention of the Sabine Women

The Raft of the Medusa,( Denon wing, room 77)

Raft of Medusa by Géricault is an icon of Romanticism, and caused a huge scandal at the Salon of 1819 as it depicted a contemporary event -the wreck of a French frigate off the coast of Senegal in 1816, with over 150 soldiers on board. “Géricault decided to represent the vain hope of the shipwrecked sailors: the rescue boat is visible on the horizon—but sails away without seeing them.”

The wedding feast at Cana

Opposite to Mona Lisa, the wedding feast of cana , an oil painting in a huge canvas by Veronese is kept, who chose to depict Christ’s first miracle, performed during the Marriage at Cana. He transposed the biblical episode to his own era, rich 16th-century Venice. Known as a colourist, he depicted  the splendor of the fabrics, the sumptuous jewelry, silver and silver-gilt tableware, and the elegant Palladian architecture, which set a magnificent stage for this story.

  

  

Leda and the swan?

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louvre is indeed , one reason for which I would like to visit Paris again. One whole day was all I could spend here and people who are into museums know how insufficient that could  be. And I want to commit at least 3 days to Louvre this time.

 

 

 

 

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