The first exhibition of 150 art objects opens on December 21 at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The first special exhibition in the Louvre Abu Dhabi since the opening of the attraction on Saadiyat Island last month starts today, December 21, 2017, and runs until April 7, 2018, the WAM news agency reported on Tuesday.
The exhibition traces the history of the French Louvre Museum in the 18th century through 150 paintings, sculptures, decorative objects and other works of art from the world-famous collections of the Louvre Museum and the Versailles palace and park ensemble.
The exhibition tells the story of the creation of the Louvre Museum two centuries ago. Then the first museums appeared in Europe, which opened to the public access to magnificent royal collections. The exhibition, divided into three sections, explores the Versailles collections of the time of Louis XIV.
Muhammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi, said: “The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is an important achievement that the UAE is very proud of. The program of the first exhibitions of the Louvre Abu Dhabi will tell stories from around the world, raising and based on a variety of topics permanent galleries. It is symbolic that the first exhibition examines the creation of the Louvre Museum, an institution that shares the values of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. "
The exhibition “From One Louvre to Another” begins with Versailles at the end of the 17th century, showing how the royal collections were displayed in gardens and private rooms. Famous works in this section will include the stunning painting by Jean Garnier, “Portrait of Louis XIV,” and the statue of Diana of Versailles of the 1st – 2nd centuries AD, previously found in the palace. Then the exhibition focuses on the 18th century Louvre Palace, where art exhibitions are held.
At the end of the exhibition, it shows how the Louvre turned into a universal museum in the 19th century.
The exhibition is curated by Jean-Luc Martinez, president and director of the Louvre Museum, and Juliet Trey, curator of the Press and Paintings Department of the Louvre Museum.
The cost of tickets is 60 dirhams ($ 16) for all guests and 30 dirhams ($ 8) for visitors aged 13 to 22 years and UAE education personnel.
