Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Musée du Louvre

Musée du Louvre : Paris, FR

Our second day in Paris, my sister and I went to Notre Dame and Musée du Louvre. If you've never been to Paris, this museum, like so many things in the City of Lights, is enormous! If, in the two hours we were there, we saw even one-one hundreth of what the Louvre has to offer, I'd be stunned. That said, we did see a lot of statuary, sculpture, French and Flemish art, stained glass, tapestries, and royal treasures that were c'est magnifique!

We arrived just as they turned on the lights on the Louvre. The detail in the buildings is stunning : 
Musée du Louvre : Paris, FR

One thing that struck both of us is, so often people poo-poo the collections in museums in the United States, and particularly within the Smithsonian and National Gallery systems in Washington, D.C. The fact is, though, there's a lot of high-quality art to be seen in the U.S. The difference between U.S. collections and European collections is quantity. The vast amount of art just in Paris alone boggles the mind. That said, though, the U.S. collections aren't too shabby. Okay, I'm climbing off my soap box! LOL!

Friday night at the museum : Musée du Louvre : Paris, FR

If you've been to Paris and if you're an American and you'd like to support the efforts of the Louvre and exchanges between the U.S. and France, consider making a contribution through American Friends of the Louvre.

Photo copyright: Janet M Kincaid, 1/10

3 comments:

Leif Hagen said...

Some FANTASTIC photos of the Louvre! Probably better ones than Eric of Paris has even posted! Nice photo of the couple you met!

Maya said...

Beautiful! I see you managed to capture it in that evening light you were so craving!

Janet M Kincaid said...

Leif: Thanks! And thanks for thinking they might be better than Eric's. I could hardly presume or hope to have photos as good as his from his own city, though... :-)


Maya: Yes. Finally!