Louvre on the Move

By Quinn Cartelli

The Louvre was built in the 12th century by King Philippe Augustus as a defensive fortress to protect his city, Paris, from invaders. Expansion of the city beyond its original borders prompted the King to make architectural changes to the Louvre. It thus became a home to the wealthiest and most powerful figures in French history. Notwithstanding a period of brief neglect, it would continue to serve as a symbol for the wealth, power, and extravagance of the monarchy for six hundred years before becoming the world renowned Musée de Louvre in 1793. The shift from a private home for the elite to a national museum, which the public could access at will, symbolized a shift in French values to a more egalitarian society with a focus on the people and equality. The Louvre is the largest museum in the world, showcasing around 70,000 pieces or art and history, and drawing tourists and enthusiasts from all over the world to view its magnificence.

Now, more than 200 years later, we are seeing the beginning of a new Louvre era with the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Since the French parliament authorized the opening of a new museum in 2007, the expansion of the Louvre brand has been both warmly welcomed and surrounded by controversy. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, rich with oil and money, came in as the highest bidder for the cite of the museum at $464 million. This move was seen by some as part of a broader scheme to promote and facilitate Gulf expansion, while others see the placement of the museum in Abu Dhabi as a way to promote modernization in the region. Within the UAE, prominent and royal art collectors have seen this opening as putting the UAE on the artistic map, giving the UAE a “massive presence” in the art world and catapulting them into the big leagues of art.

French art professionals are less welcoming to the placement of the museum, saying that the building of the Louvre Abu Dhabi was never truly to benefit art, but rather, was motivated by politics. Citizens and industry professionals see the expansion of the Louvre brand as the French government “selling out.” Human rights activists are vocal about the work conditions on the island of Abu Dhabi and claim that migrants were abused and exploited to build the architectural masterpiece. In addition, there is the ever-pressing issue of whether the museum will have to censor potentially sensitive artworks to conform with stringent cultural laws in the UAE.

Despite these concerns, the French and Emirati governments have promoted the new era of the Louvre as a way to facilitate “soft-diplomacy” and want the Louvre Abu Dhabi to be seen as a “universal museum that will broadcast tolerance and acceptance.” The main goals of the museum are to promote education and culture in a politically turbulent time. As a counter to some of the questions surrounding the museums ability to maintain their artistic integrity in the face of UAE cultural and legal restrictions, some have suggested that there is no other place the Louvre Abu Dhabi should go. In the midst of expansion and a “social, educational and cultural transformation,” this museum will allow the dissemination of valuable art, history, and architecture.=

References

James McAuley, The world-famous Louvre museum starts a lucrative new chapter in Abu Dhabi, (Nov. 8, 2017) available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/the-world-famous-louvre-museum-starts-a-lucrative-new-chapter-in-abu-dhabi/2017/11/07/b4cb0fa2-be4e-11e7-9294-705f80164f6e_story.html?utm_term=.6fc786799ba2 (last visited Nov. 12, 2017).

Doreen Carvajal, Louvre Abu Dhabi, a Cultural Cornerstone Where East Meets West (Nov. 7, 2017) available at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/07/arts/design/louvre-abu-dhabi.html (last isited Nov. 12, 2017).

Brabara Maranzani, 6 Things You May Not Know About the Louvre (Aug. 9, 2013) available at http://www.history.com/news/six-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-louvre (last visited Nov. 12, 2017).