18 October, 2007 | Leave a Comment
I wrote that I was going to do a long Paris travelogue, but it’s taking me too long to go through my photos. I’m moving in slow motion because I have a cold. So for now, let’s just write about the Louvre, shall we? One of my favorite things to do in Paris is to go to late-opening at the Louvre on Friday night. The price is reduced and the crowds are slim. It’s fabulous. And this time, I got the rare opportunity to take a few photos of the Mona Lisa/Monna Lisa/La Jaconde (she has so many names):
Le score!
Normally, photography is banned in the Italian wing of the Louvre. They are usually very hardcore about this, so much so that even I, the photo thief, have never dared to try anything. However, on Friday I walked into the Mona Lisa room and saw people snapping away (with flash! sacrilege!) right in front of the guards. The guards did nothing to stop them. Nothing! So of course, I joined in. There were three guards. On one side of Mona were two female guards who were chatting with one another and apparently didn’t give a damn. On the other side was a male guard, his arms folded across his chest, an evil glimmer in his eye and a look on his face that said Go ahead and take your photos, you bastards. I have no idea what was going on, but I was quite thrilled as I never thought I’d be able to add this masterpiece to my collection of stolen art:
The main corridor in the Italian wing, called the Grand Gallery (I think?), is so incredibly beautiful:
Normally it can’t be photographed. When you stand at one end and look all the way down, you’re reminded that you’re in a palace. It’s an awesome sight, with the skylights and the priceless artworks lining the walls for as far as you can see. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Paris — not that you’d be able to tell from this photo. Though it is very bright inside the museum, the light is filtered somehow, obviously to protect the paintings. This means that virtually all photos are either sapped of color or blurry. The same thing happens in the Musée d’Orsay. I can’t complain, however, because the French in general are very cool about letting people take photos in their marquee museums and churches. The same cannot be said of the British and Italians!
There was a moment of excitement when an alarm went off above one of the paintings. No one was even standing near it, so I’m not sure why the alarm went off, but two security men came bounding out of the shadows. Alas, there was no art thievery underway. Quel dommage, that would have been such a thrill.
I got a few close-ups of Venus de Milo. Her face is surprisingly masculine, but she has an exquisite torso:
While I was looking at V. de Milo, a middle-aged American (or perhaps Canadian!) couple walked up behind me and set their eyes upon one of the most famous statues in the Western world.
The man said: “Honey, look, there’s Venus de Milo.”
And his wife replied: “Is it famous?”
Now, it’s not a crime not to recognize the Venus de Milo. The real head-scratcher is how someone like this ever found her way inside the Louvre to begin with. I’m guessing a package tour of Europe — 17 countries in 4 days.
So that was my trip to the Louvre. It’s now my favorite museum in Paris (you lose, Musée d’Orsay), and being there for late-opening always gives me the feeling that I’ve sneaked in after closing. A Paris must-do.
Anglofille said @ 8:24 pm | paris sights + walks |
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Lulu Says:
October 18th, 2007 at 10:14 pmOrsay will still be my favorite museum in Paris ! I love that place, you can take as many pictures as you want
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I love the Orsay too and it always was my favorite, but it’s so *small* compared to the Louvre. I like getting lost in the Louvre.
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Daniela Says:
October 19th, 2007 at 5:44 pmit must’ve been nice. nice photos, by the way, your whole flickr is real good. you should sell them, mainly if they were taken in high-resolution. you have what is called “the eye for photography”. and it is not lip service, i used to work as a picture researcher and brief photographers. you are good, very good.
have a nice weekend! -
Anita Says:
October 19th, 2007 at 8:31 pmI can’t believe you called Venus’ face masculine!
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Daniela: Wow, thanks for that lovely compliment.
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Rebecca Says:
October 21st, 2007 at 1:20 pmWhat luck that you were there on the day that the Apathetic Security Company was on the job! I love the photos, especially the one from your other post with the ponies.
Total side note, but yesterday I found a place that sells posters of book covers and they had To The Lighthouse and another one from Virginia Woolf. I had a chuckle and thought of you!
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I have one of those posters!
