Treasures of the Louvre

by Michel Laclotte

This large-format edition of Abbeville's popular Tiny Folio, highlights masterpieces as chosen by the director of the world's most famous museum.

Two hundred years ago, the doors of the Louvre opened to the public for the very first time. The palace of the French kings had been transformed into a museum that today stretches over an enormous architectural ensemble right in the heart of Paris.

The royal collections first assembled by Francis I in the sixteenth century were later transferred to the Louvre palace, and this prestigious core was further enriched with artistic treasures during the Revolutionary period. The collections have been growing ever since, and are today divided into seven departments. Oriental Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, and Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities illustrate the art and culture of the ancient Near and Middle East and the Mediterranean countries. The other four so-called "modern" departments—painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and drawing—span Western art from the height of the Middle Ages to the mid-nineteenth century.

With superb reproductions of nearly 400 of the museum's most renowned masterpieces, this glorious volume provides a grand tour of the Louvre's unparalleled collection, and highlights the extraordinary range of artistic traditions that have gradually found their place in this museum.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Travel, France, History

280 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1993

About the author

Michel Laclotte (27 October 1929 – Montauban, 10 August 2021) was a French art historian and museum director, specializing in 14th and 15th century Italian and French painting.

Laclotte championed the idea of turning Paris's gare d'Orsay into a museum, now the Musée d'Orsay. From 1978 he led the team that worked on the future museum's curatorial program until its opening in 1986.

During the 1980's, Laclotte was the director of the Louvre Museum in Paris who oversaw a period of massive change and renovation of that storied institution.

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great summary of the museum's collection, but those looking for analysis or context would be better off with another book. The only text is the artist, title, materials, and size.

[MaryAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the miniature version of this book. Great compilation of some of the Louvre’s collection.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful all the way through. The Louvre is one of my favorite places in the world. There is so much art housed within its walls that it is difficult to take it all in. Reading this book transported me right back to Paris and the several times that I have visited the Louvre. The great works of the masters and the ancient art is so interesting to me. My favorites are impressionism and post-impressionism (by far!!) but the longing and the darkness of the renaissance pulls me in. I need to go again because there is still so much left to explore.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is such a beautiful book with a nicely laid out format: plate on one side with a short sketch on the opposite side
my only complaint is that the painting of the Mona Lisa on the cover counts as one of the 50 paintings featured

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short Introduction is only Text. Large photographs of medium quality although this may be from not using glossy paper. Minimal descriptions. Strange organization into Ancient Ages and then medium is confusing. Works within groups are not chronological adding to confusion as to relationships.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read while hanging in Louvre bookstore and it really helped once I did see teh works of art in person. Great Gift!

[Glenn Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Merely a picture book of paintings without discriptions-just title, artist, size and material.