Conservation, Restoration, and Renovation have always played their parts in enriching history and forming a connection between the original artist/creator and restorers of the artwork. Additionally, it tells about the detailed culture and intelligence of the current population. Having said that, the coming weeks will witness the most important conservation, restoration, and renovations from the Louvre to regain the maximum splendour of the four historic and emblematic places of the museum.
Laurence des Cars, President and Director of the Louvre Museum, explains this event,
“At the Louvre, museum, and palace are in constant dialogue. Preserving and bringing to life this exceptional heritage to transmit it to all our audiences in the best conditions is our primary mission. The excellent know-how of numerous artistic professions and the expertise of the curators have made it possible to restore all their splendor to three major historical settings and a major monument of the Parisian landscape. As these large-scale projects come to an end, I am delighted that our visitors will be able to discover or rediscover their immense beauty.”
The restoration includes the summer apartments of Anne of Austria, the reception room of Napolean III, and the Throne Room of Louis XVIII, via the triumphal arch of the Carrousel, facing the Pyramid of Leoh Ming Pei. Besides making French history and culture accessible to the public again, this restoration takes place at a priceless moment when more visitors will be present for the Paris Olympics 2024.
The Summer Apartments of Anne of Austria, located at the Denon Wing, Ground Floor, Rooms 408 to 414 has a surface area of 1200 m² and have been the subject of restoration since the outset of the 2022 summer. The restoration work includes the combination of heritage restoration and the modernization of technical equipment for the exhibition of Roman collections in 2027. Created in 1655 by the architect Louis Le Vau in an ambition to transform a pre-existing gallery into the summer apartments for Queen Anne of Austria, the apartment’s ceilings consist of decorations by the French sculptor Michel Anguier and frescos by Giovanni Francesco Romanelli. Then at the end of the 18th century, the architect Jean-Arnaud Raymond transformed these royal apartments into an antique gallery. But that was not it as it underwent changes in the 19th century when the architect’s successor, Hector Lefuel completed this series of apartments with the integration of the Auguste room. These rooms have never been completely renovated since the 1930s and the sole mission of this renovation is to restore every piece of art: stucco ornaments, frescoes, oil paintings on mounted canvas, stucco-marble, and polychrome marble floors. Lastly, the Louvre Museum has secured these historic rooms for the exhibition of “Masterpieces from the Torlonia Collection” held between June 26 and November 11, 2024.
The Carousel Arc is an emblematic monument of Paris, which has witnessed the history of two centuries. Built between 1806 and 1808 in order to pay homage to the soldiers of the Grande Armee at the request of Napolean I, this arch was made with multiple materials, which over time deteriorated due to the influence of time and weather. In November 2022, the work of restoration started and it reached its completion just recently. After its restoration, it now includes a new environment in its garden, which offers a completely new outlook. Designed in the 1990s by the landscapers Jacques and Peter Wirtz, its renovation offers visitors a larger relaxation space, further strengthening damaged and weakened plants. 1200 yews have been replanted during the 2023 winters in the hedges that radiate from the arch.
The Throne Room of Louis XVIII also faces restoration of its furniture and is presented for the first time in eternity. Made between 1817 and 1822, this furniture includes two armchairs, a screen, a fireplace screen, four torchieres, four wall lights and the throne canopy, a carpet, and two drapes. Under the restoration, it has now the symbolic power to depict royal power. Jean Démosthène Dugourc designed this entire decor in 1818 and The Royal Manufacturers of Gobelins, Savonnerie, and Beauvais contributed to its creation with the further contribution of the Grand Frere’s house, the silk manufacturer in Lyon, and the best bronziers, gilders, cabinetmakers, embroiderers and trimmers in Paris.
Lastly, the Napolean III Apartments which extend over 11 rooms underwent the restoration. The gilding, crimson hangings, chandeliers, faux marble, bronzes, and furniture show an eminent taste of 19th-century France. Built between 1857 and 1860 by the architect Hector Lefuel, these reception rooms were housed in the Ministry of State. At the end of the Second Empire, the Ministry of State gave them to the Ministry of Finance until 1989. The most versatile room of this apartment is the Grand Salon, which consists of Sculpted decoration where cupids, Atlanteans and caryatids, trophies, and garlands of flowers appear. The furnishing matches the decor. Some of the highlights of this furnishing are the chandeliers on the main staircase, the stone cardboard decoration combining aesthetic quality, and bronzes made by electroplating in hitherto unpublished dimensions. The renovation is carried out by the conservation-restoration group Petit & Chatain and the Louvre craft workshops that allow us to see the extraordinary quality of classic historic decor.
With a new look at these historic places, this becomes a must-visit for the calendar of 2024.
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