Louvre

Introduction

A little bit of history

Louvre figures and vandals

Schedules, prices, passes

Fast Louvre

Oriental antiquities

Greek, Etruscan, Roman

French painting section

Flemish painting section

More foreign paint section

Italian painting section

Sculpture section

Paris-Louvre-Greek, Etruscan, Roman section

Paris main page

Paris dining world!!!!

Book a Paris hotel on line

The works included in this department cover the Greek, Etruscan and Roman civilisations.
The Greek statuary is presented in chronological order (the orientalising era, the Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods).
Since December 1997, the art of the Cyclades, the Crete and Mycenian civilisations are displayed in a completely new setting in rooms located in the Denon Wing.
Three rooms are dedicated to Etruscan works (sarcophagi, vases, paintings and jewellery). The Roman collections include mainly statuary, mosaics, bronzes and gold and silver work.

 If you want to do the circuit chronologically, a new access: Denon mezzanine, lower Daru gallery.
Notice the wrought ceiling  (old apartments of Anne d'Autriche) in room 5, which is a rotunda.
Room 7 is called salle du Parthenon where a magnificent piece shows the art of Greek sculpture rising to a very high level. The “Ergastines”, a frieze of the Panathenees. ", executed between 442-432 BC. A part of the frieze of this famous monument (400 B.C.) where young noble girls make a sacrifice to Athena. All the rest has been pinched by the English!
Hall 12, something not to be presented anymore: the Venus of Milo, discovered in 1820 on the island of Milo and presumed dating from the 2nd century BC.  Seen as the model of perfect beauty of a woman.
Room 17, salle des Cariatides was richly decorated by Jean Goujon and used to be the place were a lot of prince marriages and royal feasts took place.

Some amusing anecdotes happened here:

Henri III, the gay king, ordered 120 pages to be whipped cause they mocked him. During a ball, that same year, in front of the whole court, he provoked a scandal and insulted his sister, the queen Margot, for her immoral behaviour. In 1658, Moliere played for the first time in front of Louis XIV, one of his plays.

Rooms 18 to 20 are about the Etruscans. The Romans are in halls 22 to 29. La lot of beautifully, carved masterworks like urns,vases, sculptures, mirrors, sarcophaguses, glass work, gold jewels and many more. Just look around and enjoy. Needless to make a big description. :-)
Hall 21 contains superb Lebaneses mosaics, and a lot of artefacts shown in well laid out display windows. 
Continue in next halls with the Pompei remains, the mosaics called "Les Saisons".

The room has a superb setting, and the quality of works displayed here is at a high level. Very important pieces are gathered here, like " le Gaulois blesse", "Artemis" (ditto Diane de Versailles), " Les trois Graces", "Silene portant Dyonisos enfant", "Hermes attachant ses sandales".The Roman section ends with room 6 and 7 of the Sully section on the first floor.

Boscoreale

Jewellery is richly presented with a magnificent collection and a large choice of silverware, like the ones  discovered at Boscoreale, near Pompei. At the end of the great staircase the world famous "Victoire de Samothrace", 2nd century B.C, fiercely deploying her wings, looking like the bow of a ship, probably commemorating a naval victory of the Rhodians at the end of the 2nd century BC.

Bibliography:

The Louvre, Seven Faces of a Museum; The Louvre (Collection Guides Gallimard); The Louvre-the Museum-the Collections-the New Spaces (Connaissances des Arts); Louvre, la visite, Pierre Qouniam (Reunion des Musees nationaux), Guide du Routard 1999.