Podcast 42: The incredible history of the Louvre Museum
Janine: Bonjour everyone, a very warm welcome to the Good Life France podcast. I’m your host, Janine Marsh, I’m British-born but now feel a bit French as I have had a home in the north of France for more than 20 years. I’m the editor of a magazine and website about France, I write books and explore France year-round from the north to the south, the east to the west - and everywhere in between! When I’m not travelling or writing or looking after my many animals (I have a lot of animals), I love to chat to you on this podcast alongside my podcast partner Olivier Jauffrit.
Oli: Bonjour bonjour – yes indeed, a big welcome to the podcast. I am Oli, I’m French and I guess a little bit British as I lived in England for 20 years. Now I live in Lyon, deep in the south of France where I work in the world of music and radio. So that is us – and yes as Janine says we love to chat to you on this podcast. So, Janine what are we going to be talking about today?
Janine: We’re going to explore a legendary institution. It’s a world record holder. It’s enormous. It’s world famous. It’s in the heart of Paris. Kings have lived in it. Now it is home to one of the most famous paintings in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, lovely listeners – I give you - the Louvre Museum
Oli: That sounds great. Let’s dive into the heart of Paris culture. Join us as we uncover its history, marvel at its famous residents, and celebrate the art that has captivated millions.
Janine: The Louvre is the world’s most famous and largest fine arts museum. It’s home to the one of the most impressive art collections in all of history. It’s also the most visited museum in the world with up to a stonking 9 to 10 million visitors a year – but it wasn’t always this way. Once it was only for royalty and aristocrats. The history of the Louvre museum is fascinating…
Oli: The Louvre was originally built as a fortress in the late 12th century. No one really knows why it’s called Louvre but there is a theory that the word comes from the Latin lupus, loup in French, meaning wolf because wolves used to roam in this area. And others say it comes from a misinterpretation of the old French word lower, meaning tower. We’ll never know.
Janine: The Louvre was originally constructed as a fortress under King Philip II, the first official King of France. The building was intended to protect Paris from the English and other invaders. Meanwhile just down the cobbled road – literally - as King Philips was responsible for having the main thoroughfares of Paris paved, the Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame was being built. In the 14th century the Chateau du Louvre was modified to become a more comfortable residence for the French royal family but the plans to go full on modern castle were scuppered by money needing to be spent on war instead. In the early 1500s, Francis I, known as the French Renaissance King, demolished most of the castle and created a lavish Renaissance style chateau. After this, every time a new monarch was appointed, there was expansion and change until the Louvre reached a monumental size.
Oli: In 1682, Louis XIV moved the Royal residence to Versailles, 17km from Paris. He wanted to distance himself from the Paris populace and exert more control over his court. After that the royal family pretty much lost interest in the Louvre. It was left to fall into disrepair though some parts of the monumental building were taken over by cultural groups including artists and writers.
Janine: Following the French Revolution, the National Assembly ruling body opened the Louvre as a museum on 10th August 1793 with a collection of 537 paintings and the Palace became the Musee des Arts, the arts museum. When Napoleon Bonaparte came to power, he had the Louvre renamed “Musée Napoleon” and added art acquired, a nice way of putting it, from his military campaigns, plus there were private donations and commissions.
One of the most important days in Napoleon’s life has been captured in an immense painting on show in the museum. Called ‘The Coronation of Napoleon’ it measures a whopping 10 by 6 meters and is in the Red Rooms section of the museum where many of the big paintings are on show.
Oli: The ceremony was held on 2nd December 1804 at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, Napoleon broke the tradition of Kings being crowned at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Reims, Champagne. Pope Pius VII was in attendance, he didn’t really want to be there but gave in to maintain the relationship between the church and the state. He gave Napoleon the sacred unction, and was just about to pick up the Imperial crown to place on Napoleon’s head when Napoleon seized it and crowned himself as the first Emperor of France – and then crowned his wife Josephine as Empress.
Janine: It’s a wonderful painting. 12 years later, In 1814, when Napoleon’s rule came to end, almost 5,000 artworks were returned to their countries of origin. The Louvre then reverted to its original name and remained as a museum. It is in fact the largest single-complex museum on Earth coming in just shy of 800,000 square feet or 73,000 square meters.
It’s so enormous that it would take three months to view every piece of art contained in it. And that’s if you spent just 30 seconds looking at each artwork all day, every day without a break. There are more than 7,500 paintings and the displays cover nearly 15 acres, divided across eight quite separate departments. Obviously the thing to do is give everything in the Louvre only ten seconds, that way you can get round in a month. But, tempting as that prospect may seem, reality has to come into the equation, and that invites focus, selectivity and repeat visits to Paris. Well, no-one ever said that being a tourist was easy.
Oli: Today, there are over 380,000 items in the Louvre collection; just not all are on display. What is on show attracts more than 15,000 visitors per day, 70% of whom are foreign tourists. In 2018 there were 10.2 million visitors, apparently boosted by a video made by Jay-Z and Beyonce who hired the museum for two days to make a music video. It is not only the biggest museum on earth, but also the most visited museum on earth – and beyond probably, I mean if there are alien life forms on other planets, I’m pretty sure the Louvre will still be the biggest, the best and the most popular musem in the world! Artworks range from Egyptian antiques to Old Masters. The oldest treasure in the Louvre is a rare statue from a neolithic site in Jordan dated to 7000 BC. Thousands of people visit to see the armless beauty of the Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, an ancient Greek sculpture.
Janine: Other popular works include Eugene Delacroix’s, Liberty Leading the People, thought to have inspired Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, which is popular with French visitors. There’s also one of the largest sphinxes outside of Egypt. There really is an overwhelming amount of art here.
Oli: And don’t forget that this was once a palace and you can get a feeling for how it was in the Napoleon III Apartments which have been beautifully preserved. You feel as if you’ve stepped back in time when you enter the grand salon with its gold bling, red velvet curtains, opulent paintings and an incredibly large crystal chandelier. It must have made a quite an impression on visitors when during the Second Empire, from 1852 to 1870, it became the residence of Napoleon III’s Minister of State. It was the perfect location for masked balls and grand dinners, often attended by Napoleon III.
Janine: Without question though, the Louvre’s most famous work is Leonardo da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa. She enchants hordes of visitors with her enigmatic smile, creating very long queues. This iconic painting is much smaller than people realise. It’s just 21 by 30 inches, covered with bullet-proof glass and flanked by guards as she’s been targeted several times by thieves and assorted nutters. This protection is the result of the painting being stolen in 1911 but was thankfully recovered in 1913. Discover much more about this smiley lady in our dedicated Mona Lisa podcast episode. Apparently 80% of all visitors only want to see the Mona Lisa! Astonishing! There is so much more to see! And did you know that an incredible 25% of all of Leonardo’s Da Vinci’s known paintings are in the Louvre.
Oli: If you do go to the museum, you just can’t see it all in a day so it’s best to either just wander for as long as you can and take pot luck as to what you see, or else have an idea of what to see and plan in advance. You can get a map of the museum in advance online, or pick one up at the reception.
Janine: Top of my list for when I go next time is to see the crown jewels. There are some very famous diamonds in the collection – including the Regent diamond which was bought by Louis XIV and he had it set in a crown. Later it was put in a tiara for Marie Antoinette before being stolen during the French Revolution along with many other jewels. Amazingly this 140 carat diamond was found not long after by accident in an abandoned attic in Paris in a hole covered in wood! Amazing. Napoleon reclaimed it for the state (he meant himself of course) and had it set in a sword. When he was exiled his wife took it to Austria, her dad sent it back to France and it then featured in crowns for subsequent French rulers before being put into a tiara for the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III – and there it remains. I just love the idea that this diamond has been held in the hands of kings and queens who adored its purity – it’s almost flawless, so clear.
Oli: And something else that is clear. One of the most distinctive of the Louvre’s hallmarks is not inside the museum, but outside: the glass pyramid, commission by François Mitterand, built in 1989 and standing 21 metres high. It was built as an entrance to the Louvre, as the old entrance was very run down and simply couldn’t cope with the amount of visitors. So a contest was held to create a new entry to the museum. It was won by Chinese-American architect, I M Pei.
Janine: made of glass panes held together with metal strips the pyramid isn’t loved by everyone. Much like the Eiffel Tower which had plenty of people up in arms about its very modern design, some were horrified by the Pyramid and claimed that it was, quote: ‘a structural and visual sacrilege to be inflicted upon the stately French Renaissance architecture of the Louvre.’ But these days, generally most people do enjoy it – it’s as much a part of Paris as the Eiffel Tower.
There are some who say that the glass panes in the Louvre Pyramid number exactly 666, “the number of the beast”, often associated with Satan, although simple mathematics disproves that – you don’t have to go and count them all. Beneath it, however, if Dan Brown is to be believed, lie the remains of Mary Magdalene. Pure fiction, of course. She’s not really.
Oli: But there are ghosts apparently… It’s said that an Egyptian mummy called Belphegor which was brought to the Louvre in the 19th century by a French archaeologist who found it in a tomb – carried a curse. It is said to bring misfortune to anyone who possesses it or looks at it. The archaeologist died shortly after arriving in Paris, and the mummy was put on display in the museum for a while. Since then, Belphegor is said to come out of his sarcophagus at night and roam the corridors of the Louvre looking for new victims. His appearance is terrifying: he has black, wrinkled skin, sunken eyes and sharp teeth. Some security guards have claimed to have seen him and even felt his icy breath on their necks.
Janine: Actually there’s only one mummy that you can see at the Louvre now, the rest have apparently been buried in cemeteries in Paris as they were damaged during transportation. And talking of ghosts, what about Pierre, the ghostly soldier who weeps in the museum? He was a soldier in Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. Before he died, his last wish was to see once again the portrait of the emperor, which was in the Louvre. However, he was never able to fulfil his dream, as he died on the battlefield. His spirit travelled to the museum, where it remains. It’s said that his ghostly apparition can be seen in the room where Napoleon's portrait is, dressed in his blue and white uniform. Sometimes he greets visitors with a military gesture, sometimes he weeps at the defeat of his leader.
Oli: And outside in the Tuilleries gardens, part of the Louvre complex, is a very famous ghost. Jean l'Ecorcheur, John the Skinner. There is a legend that he was a butcher and worked for Queen Catherine de Medici who lived at the Louvre before building a palace close by called the Tuilleries palace. Jean was said to be a cruel and bloodthirsty man who enjoyed torturing his victims and the queen supposedly used him to eliminate her political and personal enemies. One day she decided that he was too dangerous to have around and she ordered his execution. However, Jean did not simply go to the other world. His ghost returned to haunt the Tuileries Gardens. He is recognisable by his red clothes, which earned him the nickname "the red man of the Tuileries".
Janine: Some say he can be seen creeping through the park beneath the trees at night, while others claim he can be heard whispering threats to visitors. Blimey! Seeing him is said to be a sign of doom. He appeared to many famous residents of the Louvre including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette and her ladies in waiting who were said to be frozen with terror at looking into his unearthly eyes. And he is said to have visited Napoleon Bonaparte himself and warned him that disaster would strike him in 1814…
Oli: In 1983, the Louvre underwent a renovation plan. The modern glass pyramid and underground lobby was inaugurated in 1988 followed by the Inverted Pyramid, a skylight dipping into the underground lobby in 1993.
Janine: If you want to take a break after walking miles in the Louvre and you’re feeling flush, head to Le Café Marly which is in the Richelieu wing of the museum. It’s not cheap but the food is good, the cocktails are delicious and it does offer wonderful views over the courtyard of the Louvre and the Pyramid. Great for people watching from the arcades.
Oli: There’s also the Terrasse Colbert – which is open on nice days and you can get a drink and a snack here and enjoy one of the best views of Paris – that’s also in the Richelieu wing.
Janine: And there’s the Café Mollien where you can take a break, again it has a lovely terrace in the summer and it’s just minutes from the Mona Lisa in the Denon wing. There are in fact several places to take a break, you could spent the entire day at the Louvre and keep your energy up to keep going!
Oli: Wander in the Tuileries gardens, between the Louvre and the Champs Elysées. It’s one of the biggest outdoor museums in France. Run by the Louvre it contains artworks from the 17th to 20th century. It’s also great for relaxing and people watching.
Janine: Finally, if you visit the Louvre, book your tickets in advance to avoid long queues. And, if you’re a night owl, visit on Friday when the museum closes at 9.45pm. There are less crowds then, which is great if you’re keen to see the Mona Lisa.
Oli: And just one more thing. The Louvre collection is now visible on line – in its entirety. Almost half a million pieces of art ranging from paintings and sculptures to textiles and furnishings are being made viewable. And you can also take a virtual visit to the museum through an interactive map – it’s a little bit clunky but if you crave a Louvre fix you can get it at the Louvre Collections map. The histories of the pieces are fascinating. You’ll find it at louvre.fr
We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring the mysteries and marvels of the Louvre.
But now… it’s time for a reader’s question.
Oli: So Janine what’s today’s question?
Janine: I love the questions we get, is it illegal to call a pig Napoleon, who is the Frenchest person, can you have a barbecue in Paris? So many fun questions. Anyway, today’s question is from Peter Finton of Manchester, UK and he asks “In our local pub we had a quiz and one of the questions was what is the longest book in the world. None of us got it right but we were told it is in fact a French book – is this true?” So Oli, we all know that French people love to talk a lot, is it true that they also like to write very long books?
Oli: Yes it is true! If you ask people what the longest book is outside of France they will probably say War and Peace by Tolstoy. But it’s actually Marcel Proust’s book a la recherche du temps perdu which translates as Remembrance of Things Past.
Janine: Absolutely right! According to the Guinness Book of Records this is in fact the longest known book ever published, and that’s the key to this record, other writers have written longer books but they’ve not been published. Proust’s book is some 1.3 million words long. It also has one of the longest sentences in a book – 958 words – for a single sentence! They base the record on the number of characters in the book, every letter and space that form the text – which comes to a rather whopping 9,608,000 characters.
Oli: It’s obviously hard to summarise a book such as A la recherche du temps perdu – unless you have a week to spare , but essentially the book tells the story of Proust’s life and self-discovery, following the narrator’s recollections of childhood and his experiences growing up and falling in love in late 19th century and early 20th century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and the pursuit of truth and meaning in the world.
Janine: Proust began writing the several volume-long novel in 1909 when he was 38 years old. Many critics consider to the be the definitive modern novel, and it has influenced many writers and on 20th century literature, and has many fans, even Marilyn Monroe was said to have 5 volumes of the book on her shelves and Sean Connery was said to also be a fan. So there you have it – the longest published book is a French book!
Oli: Thanks so much for that question, Peter. If anyone has a question for us – feel free to send it to janine@thegoodlifefrance.com or via our podcast newsletter. And, if there’s a topic you want to know more about – let us know!
Oli: Thank you so much, a massive merci beaucoup, to everyone for listening to our podcast nearly 150 countries all around the world! And a massive thank you for sharing the podcast with your friends and family, we’re truly grateful when you do that. You’ve been listening to Janine Marsh and me Olivier Jauffrit. You can find me at parischanson.fr
Janine: And you can find me and heaps of information about France – where to visit, culture, history, recipes – everything France - at thegoodlifefrance.com where you can subscribe to the podcast, my weekly newsletter about France and our totally brilliant, totally free magazine which you can read at magazine.thegoodlifefrance.com
But for now, it’s au revoir from me.
Olivier: And goodbye from me.
Janine: Speak to you soon!
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