Louvre is perhaps an artist’s Mecca where there’s nothing to not like but even for a lay person like me, Louvre is too rich to not like something. It just offers too much and (unless you have been dragged) you have to come out of it feeling cultured and a little shocked by the sheer volume of art. And not just the volume, but the quality and scope of paintings are just too much to grasp.
It really is very hard to put a finger on a few paintings (or art pieces) you like. When you are looking at pieces by Da Vinci and David and the canvas is of the scale of ‘Coronation of Napoleon’, it is hard to pick one, two or even three.
But, I am writing of the two which spoke the most to me. Both paintings display intense emotions. The expressions held by faces tell a tale without having to second guess what’s going on.
The first is ‘Marcus Sextus’ which depicts Sulla’s return to find a dead wife. It is by the French artist - Pierre-Narcisse, baron Guérin. In the painting, it is as if the shadows smell of death, the blank stare screams of the loss and the tragedy. It is such a striking depiction of loss of a loved one - his alive fingers entwined with her limp, pale fingers; his sad-hard face shocked and defeated.
The second is the famous ‘Sabine Women’ by David. David’s painting is such a wonderful mélange of expressions. The helplessness, the begging, the bravery, the innocence and the drivel of rage are all tied together in a perfect moment. It is as if the painting is not a moment but a story.
Such strong emotions captured so vividly. Hard to imagine the state of the artists and their dedication, given the time these pieces took to draw. It’s not just the genius but the empathy and sensitivity of artists that you see in their work.
Louvre is for everyone. For everyone to see these stories, know of the genius artists and take a lesson in history as a memory.
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