Page 109 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

Must See
DECORATIVE ARTS

The Louvre has well over The French crown jewels
8,000 “decorative art” include the coronation crowns
objects, including jewellery, of Louis XV and Napoleon,
silver and glassware, and the Regent, one of the
bronzes, porce lain, purest diamonds in the world.
snuffboxes and armour. The large collection of
Many of these precious French furniture ranges from
objects are from the the 16th to the 19th centuries.
Abbey of St-Denis, where On display are important
the kings of France were pieces by prominent furniture-
buried. The treasures include makers such as André-Charles
a serpentine stone plate from Boulle, who was cabinet-
the 1st century AD with a maker to Louis XIV.
9th-century border of gold In 2012, the Islamic Art
Serpentine stone and precious stones, and Department opened in the
plate (1st century/ the golden sceptre made for Cour Visconti, with around
9th century AD) King Charles V in about 1380. 18,000 objects on display
covering 3,000 years of his-
tory from three continents.
The French crown jewels include the The museum also has a num-
coronation crowns of Louis XV and ber of deco rative art gal leries
Napoleon, and the Regent, one of the dedicated to objects from the
reign of Louis XIV and the
purest diamonds in the world. 18th century.

NEAR EASTERN, EGYPTIAN,
GREEK, ETRUSCAN AND
ROMAN ANTIQUITIES

The range of antiquities is The departments of Greek,
impressive, with objects Roman and Etruscan
from the Neolithic peri od antiquities contains some
to the fall of the Roman exceptional pieces. The two
Empire. Impor tant works of most famous Greek statues
Mesopotamian art include the in the Louvre, the Winged
seated figure of Ebih-iI, from Victory of Samothrace and the
2400 BC, while the warlike Venus de Milo, belong to the
Assyrians are represented Hellenistic period (late 3rd
by delicate carvings and a to 2nd century BC), when
spectacular recon struction more natural-looking human
of part of Sargon II’s (722–705 forms were beginning to be
BC) palace. A fine example of produced. The star of the
Persian art is the enamelled Etruscan collection is the
brickwork depicting the king terracotta Sarcophagus of
of Persia’s personal guard of the Cenestian Couple, while
archers (5th century BC). the many fine pieces in the
Most Egyptian art was Roman section include a bust
made for the dead to take to of Agrippa and a splendid,
the afterlife. One exquisite powerful bronze head of
example is the tiny carved Emperor Hadrian from the
funeral chapel built for a high 2nd century AD.
official in about 2500 BC.
A special crypt dedicated to
the god Osiris contains some
colossal sarcophagi and Winged Victory of
mummified animals. Samothrace (c 190 BC)

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