These iconic masterpieces and endless other artistic riches are found at the Louvre. This majestic, wondrous Paris museum is a two-mile treasure trove filled with art and antiques dating back to 4,000 B.C. The museum contains so much art on display it is said that to see it all it would take around 200 days spending just 30 seconds on each piece. Now imagine having all that art at your fingertips. No need to imagine! The Louvre recently announced that more than 482,000 pieces will be available online in their newly launched website, louvre.fr and online database, collections.louvre.fr. In this unprecedented platform, every single piece of the museum’s collection, including some that are in storage or on long-term loan will be viewable in one place—and in a user-friendly and immersive format. The database contains pieces from Louvre, the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix, sculptures from the Tuileries and Carrousel gardens, and what are called ‘MNR’ works. (MNR stands for “Musées Nationaux Récupération” or “National Museums Recovery.” These works were recovered after World War II and entrusted to the Louvre until they can be returned to their legitimate owners.) “The Louvre is dusting off its treasures, even the least-known,” said Jean-Luc Martinez, president-director of the Musée du Louvre in a statement. “For the first time, anyone can access the entire collection of works from a computer or smartphone for free, whether they are on display in the museum, on loan, even long-term, or in storage. The Louvre’s stunning cultural heritage is all now just a click away!” Martinez hopes that the digital collection will inspire people to see the collections in person when it is safe to do so. (The museum has been closed since March 2020.) But until then this is a great way to soak it all up. So if you can’t travel to France, here are 24 must-see works from the Louvre’s online collection. But don’t blame us if you’re still scrolling through these priceless works hours later!
Must-See Works at The Lourve
1. Michelango’s Dying Slave
Michelango’s Dying Slave was commissioned in 1513 by Pope Julius II to be part of the pope’s tomb. The sculpture is famous for its realism. Michelango’s slave is so dynamic, so lifelike it inspired legions of artists who longed to replicate his sensuous style.
2. Léonard da Vinci’s Mona Lisa
Léonard da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is considered one of the world’s most famous paintings and is written and sung about more than any other work of art. Painted between 1503 and 1506, the model, Lisa del Giocondo, was a member of Florence’s Gherardini family and the wife of a wealthy silk merchant. Unlike many other paintings, the Mona Lisa stands out because da Vinci brings attention to her face and her smile/not smile and paints her so realistically.
3. The Regent Diamond
For some serious bling, The Regent Diamond is one of the world’s purest diamonds. Measuring 140.64 carats it is estimated to be worth more than $61 million.
4. Jacques-Louis David’s The Intervention of the Sabine Women
Jacques-Louis David’s The Intervention of the Sabine Women from 1799 tells the story of love conquering war. In this epic 17 foot long painting a Sabine girl named Hersilia, puts herself in the midst of the conflict between the Sabine men and the Romans and makes a plea for peace. The piece was viewed as a pledge for people to join together after the French Revolution.
5. Albrecht Dürer’s Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle
Albrecht Dürer’s Portrait of the Artist Holding a Thistle was painted in 1493. Dürer was a pioneer because he created some of the first self-portraits in Western art. He painted this piece when he was just 22 years old. 6. Louis XIV’s golden chest Louis XIV’s golden chest made by goldsmith Jacob Blank dates back to 1675. Even after the French Revolution, this majestic chest managed to stay intact. Its five gold panels are designed with roses, tulips, zinnias, narcissus, carnations and lilies, all arranged symmetrically.
7. Venus de Milo
Dating back to around 130 BC, Venus de Milo is considered to be one of the most beloved pieces of ancient Greek sculpture. The piece is carved from marble by the sculptor Alexandros of Antioch. The six-foot dramatic sculpture is said to be one of the great stand-out from Ancient Greece.
8. Mummy Portrait of A Young Woman
This Mummy Portrait of A Young Woman is also known as “L’Européenne. It dates all the way back to 120 to 130. These kinds of portraits on wooden panels are some of the most famous examples of Egyptian art and has survived from classical antiquity.
9. Titian’s Woman with a Mirror
Titian’s Woman with a Mirror dates back to 1515. The painting is considered a beautiful marriage of color and composition. It’s also one of the more erotic paintings of its time.
10. The Winged Victory of Samothrace
Created around 220-185 BC, The Winged Victory of Samothrace is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of Greek sculpture. The goddess Nike stands on the bow of a ship overlooking the sanctuary of the Gods. Measuring eight feet the statue is said to have been created to honor Nike and celebrate some kind of naval action. According to art historian, H. W. Janson one can almost feel the wind against the sea experience victory as Nike’s drapery flows.
11. Johannes Vermeer’s The Lacemaker
One of the world’s most innovative artists, Johannes Vermeer painted The Lacemaker from 1669 to 1670. Completed at the end of his life, it is one of the finest examples of Dutch Realism and focused on everyday life with vivid details like the intricate lace maker’s collar. Even though the painting measures just 9 inches by 8 inches the painting has a three-dimensional quality.
12. La Grande Odalisque
La Grande Odalisque, painted in 1814 by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, was considered a revelation when it debuted. It still is. Ingres painted the female body in the most sensual way.
13. The Raft of the Medusa
French Romantic painter Théodore Géricault completed The Raft of the Medusa in 1819 when he was just 27. The painting depicts the gruesome wreck of the French Royal Navy boat, the Medusa, which was adrift at sea for 13 days. The painting is famous for its brutality and raw emotion.
14. Bathsheba at her Bath
Rembrandt van Rijn’s 1654 painting, Bathsheba at her Bath, is one of the most famous portrayals of Bathsheba. Rembrandt’s use of light is a revelation. Not only is the painting sensuous it also shows empathy for Bathsheba who has received King David’s troubling letter.
15. Gregor Erhart’s Sainte Marie-Madeleine
Gregor Erhart’s Sainte Marie-Madeleine is unlike most sculptures of St. Mary Magdalene. Dating from 1515 to 1520 she is more sensual and only covered by her hair.
16. Veronese’s Wedding Feast at Cana
In the Louvre, just opposite the Mona Lisa, hangs Veronese’s Wedding Feast at Cana. While the Mona Lisa seems like the shiny new toy getting all the attention, this painting is known for its vibrant swirling color. It dates back to 1563 and should not be overlooked. The image depicts the miracle, when Jesus turned water into wine, at a wedding in Cana.
17. Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss
Antonio Canova sculpted Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss in 1787. Considered a Neoclassical wonder, the lovers are filled with passion. The marble sculpture was inspired by ancient mythology.
18. Liberty Leading the People
The 1830 oil painting Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the Revolution of July 1830 when King Charles X of France was removed from the throne. With Delacroix’s talent for using expressive brushwork he was able to create a modern landscape. The woman in the center, said to embody liberty, has a dress that appears in constant motion. It is not only modern but gives a nod to the Greek sculptures like the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
19. Sarcophagus of the Spouses
Sarcophagus of the Spouses is considered a masterpiece of Etruscan art and dates back from 520 to 510 BC. The piece, which also served as a burial container, was found in Cerveteri, Italy. It is famous for its fine details and display of love between this couple. The image of the embracing duo is especially poignant because most people during that time believed in life after death.
20. Lion with a Snake
Lion with a Snake was created by Antoine-Louis Barye in 1832. The bronze piece, measuring four feet by five feet, was in the Tuileries from 1836 until it came to the Louvre 1911. Barye is known for his masterful and realistic depictions of sculpting animals.
21. Georges de La Tour’s Cheat with the Ace of Clubs
Georges de La Tour’s Cheat with the Ace of Clubs is a masterpiece from the seventeenth century. Its ornate costumes and colors make a vibrant tableau. Historians love how the cheater shows the cards to the viewer who becomes part of the scheme.
22. Seated Scribe
The sculpture of the Seated Scribe dates back to either 2450 to 2325 BC or 2620 to 2500. This ancient Egyptian work of art was found in 1850 north of the alley of sphinxes leading to the Serapeum of Saqqara. The eyes are considered scribes eyes are considered standouts for their intricate detail.
23. Drapery of a Seated Figure
Drapery of a Seated Figure by Leonardo da Vinci is a wonder of the Early Renaissance style. Created in 1473 the attention to detail is particularly vivid. Historians have pointed to the delicacy the shadow and light that da Vinci created.
24. Hermaphroditus
Several sleeping hermaphrodite sculptures exist around the world. One of the most famous ones is the life-size ancient marble sculpture of Hermaphroditus at the Louve which is estimated to date back to the 2nd Century BC. The statue lies on a billowing mattress made from the great sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini that was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese in 1608. A Roman Baroque master Bernini makes the bed appear to be lifelike. Next, the Very Best Murals and Street Art In Every State.
