When in Paris, the Louvre museum is certainly a site that should not be missed, especially for history and art enthusiasts. Visitors often ask themselves how long it would take to visit the entire museum and its myriad of drawings, artwork and sculptures. There is no simple answer; the Louvre Museum’s magnitude certainly requires some planning and strategic visit tactics in order to get the most out of the experience.
The exact number of pieces within the museum is difficult to quantify precisely, with estimates ranging from some 70,000 to 80,000 pieces. Depending on the time that the visitor has, it may take from an hour to many days to explore the Louvre’s variably sized works. Understanding the visitor’s interests as well as time frame is key for an optimized museum tour. For instance, a drawing enthusiast could thoroughly analyse some of the 500 sketches available at the Louvre on just one day, while an art lover who desires to explore the collections of Monet and Renoir, may require at least two days to do so.
The Louvre Museum is well organized into 8 distinct sections, each with its own range of works. These sections are: near eastern antiquities, greek, roman and egyptian antiquities, Islamic Art, sculpture, decorative arts, paintings, and prints and drawings. An efficient and effective way of organizing a tour through the museum is to pick a single section, spend a day studying and exploring it, and the next day focus on a different section. In this way the visitor can explore the works within the Louvre comprehensively and in depth.
However, the Louvre Museum provides many activities and tours that could limit the time spent looking at each piece depending on the visitor’s interests. In fact, the museum offers 5 different types of tours for its guests to enjoy: individual tours, explorer tours, skip the line tours, educational tours and collection tours. Each one of these comes with a fixed duration and cost, however, visitors can benefit from the expertise of the museum’s docents as well as save a lot of time.
In spite of the recommended methods of visiting the Louvre, the way someone enjoys the museum will depend entirely on his or her interests, knowledge and time frame. Therefore, it is important to consider a few tips from experienced visitors. Firstly, it is recommended to arrive early. Secondly, try to plan the route according to one’s interests, avoid heavily crowded rooms and try to take breaks if the tour starts feeling too overwhelming. Finally, avoid booking the tour in advance if have some prior knowledge of the collections. These tips may help visitors make the most of their time in the Louvre Museum.
Sculpture Section
The Louvre Museum’s sculpture section is indeed an old-school mansion of an abundance of masterpieces from different eras and epochs. The richness and the variety of the sculptors will surely mesmerize the visitors. Among the most famous artist works within this section, visitors could find ‘The Victory of Samothrace’ by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle of the late eighteenth century and the ‘Venus de Milo’ by Alexandros of Antioch whose age is estimated to be in the second century BC. The amazing classical sculptures, the modernity of Auguste Rodin, the revolutionary forms of Aristide Maillol and the beautiful marbles of Andrea and Giovanni Pisano are all located in this section. In addition, twentieth century bronzes as well as minor arts are also found here.
The collections within the sculpture section are divided into 12 subgroups, including furniture, arms and armor, gothic and Renaissance figures, the royal collection, romanticism, the Italian Renaissance and this goes on up to decorative works from the 19th century and the other minor arts. Each group contains a different selection of artworks, from various epochs and locations, both from Western and non-Western cultures. A blend of symbols, designs and styles are found, displaying the importance of Italy, Rome and Athens in European modernity.
According to the Louvre website, the sculpture area is best enjoyed by taking the time to focus on the details of the pieces, identify their chronology, follow their evolution and carefully analyse the techniques used by the sculptors. The section also provides a few tools and techniques to further interact with the pieces. For example, the Louvre Museum organizes a archaeological tour that contains a detailed explanation of some of the sculptures within this section. Also, artistic animation, audiovisual aids and analytical worksheets for adults and children are available for the visitors.
Painting Section
The Louvre Museum painting department is home to a vast and diverse range of works of art. According to the Louvre, the painting section consists of approximately seven thousand pieces, ranging from thirteenth-century religious works to contemporary art. These works showcase evidence of all the major styles and movements of Western art, making it an ideal place to explore the history of painting.
Some of the most iconic works in the collection are Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ and the ‘Venus de Milo’ by Botticelli. Visitors can also discover some of the minor works of the Renaissance period, including ‘The Virgin and Child with St Anne and St John the Baptist’ by Raphael and ‘The Wedding at Cana’ by Tintoretto. An extensive selection of Northern European art as well as remarkable examples from the French School of painting are also found within the painting section. Artworks from the Baroque, the Rococo and the Neo-Classical periods are displayed too.
Apart from permanent collections, the painting section also hosts temporary expositions. For instance, ‘Beauty and Power in Ancient Greek Gold’ can be found in the Louvre until the end of 2021. The exhibition offers to visitors the opportunity to explore the development of a gold-working technique that was widely used in Ancient Greece. This type of event aims to enthuse the audience with its powerful display of artwork.
The Louvre Museum offers tours such as ‘Art 15 Tour’ and ‘Highlights Tour’ that reveal the hidden gems of the painting section. This way, visitors are able to gain insights and knowledge into some of the artworks they may have previously skipped. Also, the Louvre provides different seminars and art workshops as well as audio guides, making it easier to tackle an overwhelming section.
Near Eastern Antiquities Section
The Near Eastern Antiquities section of the Louvre Museum is home to more than 20,000 pieces from different civilizations; including Assyrian, Sumerian, Mesopotamian and Babylonian. It displays some of the oldest artifacts from the Middle East, with the most famous piece being the ‘Code of Hammurabi’ from around 1750 BC. It is composed of various tablets containing some of the oldest Laws known to mankind.
This section displays many ancient works, including sculptures, artifacts and tools. Some of the most famous works are the reliefs of royal palaces, such as the ‘Lion Gate of Kalhu’ and ‘The Ishtar Gate of Babylon’, both examples of ancient art and architecture.
The Louvre Museum divides its Near Eastern Antiquities section into four main sub-sections; Cuneiform Tablets, Samarian-(Aramaic), Ancient Egypt, and Mesopotamian Collections. Each collection has its own group of artifacts, with some collections showcasing items from a single era, such as Ancient Egypt which is labeled as Ancient Egypt in Early Period and Ancient Egypt in Late Period.
In order to get the most out of this section of the Louvre Museum, visitors should not just rush through the displays and look at the labels, but be aware of the historical context and the cultural relevance of each piece. The Louvre Museum offers exploring and weaving tours for visitors to make the most of the antiquities. This allows them to gain insight into the history and culture of the Middle East that the pieces originate from.
Islamic Art Section
Islamic Art has a long and noble tradition, spanning over of 800 years. Many cultures and countries have been contributed to the artworks that shaped Islamic Art as it is known today. As such, the Islamic Art section of the Louvre contains approximately 10,000 pieces, ranging from Pre-Islamic, Classic Islamic and Islamic-Western Periods.
At the Louvre, visitors will find works that come from the Middle East, the Iranian World and Anatolia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. These works range from mausoleums, mosques, tombs and gardens to manuscripts, metalwork, carpets, ceramics and more. Moreover, visitors could admire masterpieces from the Ottoman, Persian, Turkish and Mamluk periods.
The section also includes various textile works such as ‘The Quatrefoil Lace’ and ‘The Polychrome Tree’, which feature Iranian and Mamluk clothes. There is also an extensive collection of stonework, with pieces ranging from the fourteenth century Mamluk period, to ‘The Monument to Abd Al-Kahar’ from fourteenth-century Syria. Other stunning works include ‘The Gate of the Great Men’, a Seljuk masterpiece located in Iran.
The Louvre Museum offers a variety of activities and experiences for its visitors such as the “Hands-on-Louvre” program and the “Discover the Islamic World” tour. These sessions are aimed at exploring the collections in this section in more depth and at gathering insightful information about the pieces.
Greek, Roman and Egyptian Antiques Section
The Louvre’s Greek, Roman and Egyptian Antiques section is home to an astonishing array of pieces, reflecting the many civilisations and culture of the Mediterranean. It consists of over 6,000 works and is a treasure trove of the ancient world.
One of the most infamous pieces in the collections is the ‘Winged Victory of Samothrace’ also known as the ‘Nike of Samothrace’. This marble sculpture is of a winged goddess that has been in the collection since 1884. There is also the ‘Seated Scribe’ from Egypt, which is a 15th century BC statues. It is made from painted limestone and features the scribe along with hieroglyphics. For Ancient Greek art, the Louvre Museum displays the ‘Dying Warrior’ of 470 BC, a bronze sculpture depicting a toppled warrior, and the ‘Mosaic of the Triumph of Dionysus’ from the mid-2nd century BC.
The section also includes sarcophagi from Egypt, Greek vases from the classical period, and larger pieces such as the ‘Gordion Knot’ from Turkey and the ‘Hippos Chariot’ from the second century BC. Of particular note is the ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’, a 3,500-year-old obelisk that used to sit in Egypt and was transported to France during the mid-nineteenth century. It is now one of the main attractions of the section.
The Louvre offers a variety of experiences and activities to visitors of all ages to explore the artifacts within this section. For example, the “Ancient Egypt Tours” helps visitors dive deeper into the meanings and histories associated with the pieces, while the “Kids Activity” provides activities and games for younger visitors. A range of talks, workshops and audio guides are also available.
Prints and Drawings Section
The Louvre Museum’s Prints and Drawings section is home to an impressive collection of over 500 prints from around the world. The collection includes works from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, through to the Post-Renaissance and modern-day works. It is also home to a variety of drawings, some of which can be quite elaborate. The gallery is always changingwith new pieces, contributing to its ever-expanding and diverse range.
In the collection, some of the most renowned works within the Prints and Drawings section are works by Dutch and Flemish masters such as the ‘Portrait of a Young Man’ by Rembrandt and ‘The Watermill’ by Rembrandt’s pupil, Jacob van Ruisdael. There is also a selection of works from the twentieth century such as ‘The Blue Horse’ by Franz Marc and ‘The Card Players’ by Henri Rousseau.
The section also includes a range of drawings from some of the world’s most renowned artists, such as Leonardo da Vin
