Friday, February 24, 2012

The Louvre Art Museum - Paris, France

Located in Paris, the Louvre has been one of the most famous and most visited museums in the world. Placed on the Right Bank in the First Arrondissement, the Louvre was built in an area between the Seine River and the Rue de Rivoli. This building was originally used as a fortress, and later was used to display art and transformed into a museum.

The museum was formally opened in 1750, and much of the building was used as a gallery to showcase artist's works. It allowed all common people from within France and abroad to view the gallery. Entrance to the museum in the form of a combined ticket (which grants admission to all permanent collections as well as any temporary exhibits) is 13 euros.

Paris Musuem

The Louvre has over 380,000 pieces of art within its collection. However, only 35,000 of it is on public display. Famous artworks like the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo are two of the 11,900 pieces that is publicly displayed at the Louvre. Other lesser known but famous pieces include the Madonna on the Rocks and Oath of the Horatii.

The Louvre Art Museum - Paris, France

Art enthusiasts can venture into the museum's different sections to view the mass amounts of art work on display. There are eight total sections in the museum: Islamic Art, Paintings, Sculptures, Prints and Drawings, Near Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, and Decorative Arts.

Amongst their collection, they have large collections of pieces from famous artists such as Rembrandt and David. Famous sculptures such as the Venus de Milo can be found on display within the museum. These famous pieces are some of the many works that visitors often ask about. Plus the Louvre holds one the largest collections of several popular artists, as well as a large collection of pictorials in the world.

While the Louvre is well known for its art collection, there are other collections within the museum that will surprise many people. Outside of the art, the museum has archeology, sculptures, and objest d'art from across the globe. They also have a permanent gallery showing large holdings of furniture, including the Bureau du Roi by Jean Henri Riesener. Some of these works are available in books that are sold at the museum. Temporary exhibits are also held throughout the year on various other elements of the various art movements, in which other parts of the hidden collection will be presented to the public.

The Louvre Art Museum - Paris, France Ostrogoth - Rock Fever Video Clips. Duration : 3.23 Mins.


Ostrogoth. "Full Moon's Eyes". Track list: 1. Full Moon's Eyes 03:47 2. Heroes' Museum 03:59 3. Paris By Night 05:40 4. Rock Fever 03:14. EP, Mausoleum Records, 1983. Line-up: Marc RED STAR De Brauwer - vocals Rudy WHITE SHARK Vercruysse - guitar Hans SPHINX Van De Kerckhove - guitar Marnix BRONCO Van de Kauter - bass Mario GRIZZLY Pauwels - drums I encourage viewers to buy the album, this is only a fan-tribute. Support the music !

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Sunday, February 12, 2012

The Louvre Museum in Paris France

The Louvre was originally a royal palace that was built on the site of an old castle and added to by different Kings, but with the construction of Chateau de Versailles it became obsolete and was then turned into a museum back in the 1700's.

It was first given the name Musee Central des Arts, then it changed to the Musee Napoleon and from that changed its name again to the official title of Musee du Louvre, which is what it has been known as ever since, although is affectionately known as just The Louvre.

Paris Musuem

Being one of the oldest and largest museums, it is home to probably the most well-known painting in the world, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and has become the most famous and most visited art museum in the world with over 8 million visitors coming here every year.

The Louvre Museum in Paris France

In an easily accessible part of Paris located by the River Seine, The Louvre once again incorporates the beautiful Carrousel and the Tuileries Gardens that are a great place for a casual stroll, yet this means that it brings the museum outside with sculptures and statues from artists such as Aristide Maillol and Auguste Rodin.

Most people now find The Louvre recognisable by the large glass pyramid that is located in the central courtyard and this serves as the main entrance to this awe inspiring Paris museum, which is in alignment with the Champs-Elysees axis, but did you realise that it was only actually built in 1989! And it is from this point that tourists can access different temporary displays, the fascinating history of this world famous museum, along with the bookshop, Le Cafe Marly restaurant, etc, but also outside there is an equestrian statue of King Louis XIV.

Even if you are not a fan of art, you will still thoroughly enjoy your time at The Louvre, as it houses some very impressive collections, which include Egyptian, Roman and Greek artefacts, sculptures and other works of art that date back to the Middle Ages, right through to around 1850.

Realistically you need at least a day, or even more at The Louvre, as only allocating a few hours does not do the place justice, but it is extremely worthwhile obtaining a map of the place, as it is so vast you could end up missing exhibits you specifically wanted to see, especially if you have time restraints, yet do not be concerned that the exhibits are not all on one level as there are lifts to make them accessible to wheelchair users.

Obviously there is an entrance fee, but on the first Sunday of the month this and many other museums in Paris are completely free, however it also gets extremely busy, but arriving early and making a bee-line for famous exhibits like Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, will ensure you get a good view before they get too crowded!

Yet when you need a well earned rest or need to refuel your body, then there is an enormous different choice of food on offer in the cafeterias and restaurants and incredibly, there are six different cafes and restaurants to choose from, that are open every day except for a Tuesday when the whole museum is also closed.

Whilst visiting The Louvre, do venture into the bookstore located in the Hall Napoleon under the glass pyramid and along with visitors guides available in more than ten different languages, it also stocks the largest selection of books on art history in France, plus has numerous other books, a children's section and even sells prints made up from the museums collection, with absolute thousands to choose from.

Now we quickly mentioned visitors guides, and if you are not fluent in the French language, then we would say that this is a must to fully appreciate the place, as many of the exhibit descriptions are not in any other language bar French, alternatively, if you plan your visit to the Musee du Louvre well in advance, you can have a guided tour that lasts about 2 hours and takes you round the most well known exhibits, leaving you to wander around the rest of this museum at your own leisure afterwards.

There will definitely be something of interest for everyone at The Louvre, including children, and it certainly lives up to its reputation of the best museum to visit when in Paris, but do bear in mind that it is closed every Tuesday and on national holidays, but is open from 9am to 6pm every other day and also has a late night opening on a Wednesday until 10pm.

The Louvre Museum in Paris France Caravaggio ( 1571 - 1610) Part One - paintings 1593 to 1600 Video Clips. Duration : 4.95 Mins.


Caravaggio was an Italian baroque painter who was the best exemplar of naturalistic painting in the early 17th century. His use of models from the lower classes of society in his early secular works and later religious compositions appealed to the Counter Reformation taste for realism, simplicity, and piety in art. Equally important is his introduction of dramatic light-and-dark effects - termed chiaroscuro - into his works. Originally named Michelangelo Merisi, Caravaggio was born September 28, 1573, in the Lombardy hill town of Caravaggio, from which his professional name is derived. He may have spent four years as apprentice to Simone Peterzano in Milan before going to Rome in 1593, where he entered the employ of the Mannerist painter Giuseppe Cesari, also known as the Cavaliere d'Arpino, for whom he executed fruit and flower pieces (now lost). Among his best-known early works are genre paintings (scenes from everyday life) with young men - for example, The Musicians (1591?-1592, Metropolitan Museum, New York City) - which were done for his first important patron, Cardinal Francesco del Monte. Scenes such as the Fortune Teller (1594, versions in the Louvre, Paris, and the Museo Capitolino, Rome) were especially appealing to the artist's followers. Caravaggio's mature manner commenced about 1600 with the commission to decorate the Contarelli Chapel in San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome with three scenes of the life of Saint Matthew. The Calling of Saint Matthew (1599?-1600 ...

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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Paris - Musee D'Orsay

No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to the Musée d'Orsay. It is a well-known museum with a wonderful collection of outstanding paintings, art works and sculptures. In Paris, it is considered as one of the most important museums in the city.

Musée d'Orsay was in fact a railway station converted to a museum. The architect, Victor Laloux, designed the building for the railway station and it was completed in 1900 to coincide with the Exposition Universelle 1900. During its opening, painter Edouard Détaille commented that the station would make a better museum. Around 1950, the building was stopped being used as a railway station because its platforms were found too short for modern trains. It was supposed to be lined for demolition to make way for some other development to take place. However, President Giscard d'Estaing had it turned into a museum. The building was redesigned by Italian architect Gae Aulenti, who retained much of the original architecture, and the museum was opened in 1986.

Paris Musuem

At the upper level of Musée d'Orsay, you can still get a feel of the original railway station floor layout. The current central sculpture aisle is where the previous train platforms were located. At the ceiling, the huge curved roof, which is made of glass and iron, looked incredibly impressive. The museum features painting, sculpture and decorative works between the period, 1848 and 1914. The galleries are full of paintings by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Pissarro, Degas, Cézanne and Van Gogh. Sculpture works on display include those created by Rudé, Cavalier and Guilaume. There is also a fine collection of Art Nouveau decorative arts, including furniture by Guimard and Van der Velde. A wood-panelled salon by Alexandre Charpentier is also featured. The museum is particularly well-known for its fine collection of French impressionist paintings.

Paris - Musee D'Orsay

At Musée d'Orsay, the exhibits are displayed at three levels. On the ground floor, there are works from the mid to late 19th century. The middle level displays Art Nouveau decorative art as well as paintings and sculptures from the second half of the 19th century to the early 20th century. The collection of Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist art is being displayed at the upper level. The museum has a large and beautiful restaurant which serves superb brasserie food. At the top floor, there is a small café where visitors can have their food and enjoy good views of Paris.

Musée d'Orsay is indeed a great museum to visit. If you are keen to see wonderful works by great artists and sculptors, you should visit this museum. It offers you great insights into the world of art. For more information, visit Cheap Flights website now!

Paris - Musee D'Orsay F. Francœur & F. Rebel - Pyrame & Thisbé - Troupe de peuples Video Clips. Duration : 1.18 Mins.


François Francœur (1698 - 1787) and François Rebel (1701 - 1775) Pyrame et Thisbé, tragédie lyrique (1726) - Act I: Troupe de peuples - Ensemble Stadivaria, Daniel Cuillet. * Painting: Le comte d'Artois and his sister, madame Clotilde (1763, Paris, Louvre museum) by François-Hubert Drouais (1727 - 1775).

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