The Louvre: A Guide to Art Book

“The Louvre is a book in which we learn to read.” ~ Paul Cézanne

The Louvre's art collection is a training ground for the eye, with galleries stretching for nearly nine miles—enough that even at the breakneck pace of thirty seconds per object, it would take months to see the museum in its entirety.

Instead of zipping through, revel slowly in some of the museum's key pieces in this lovely book exploring one of the world's most treasured institutions. Readers will discover more than four hundred of the museum's masterpieces, spanning from 7000 BCE through the mid-nineteenth century and including works from the Romantic and Realist movements. The richly illustrated guide is organized chronologically and features milestone events in world history, such as the fall of Babylon, the invention of the printing press, and the abolition of slavery in France.

Punctuated with focused entries that explore themes like cultural exchange, humanity, power, beauty, the sky, and nature, this compact reference offers readers the keys to understanding art from a global perspective.

Demonstrating a cross-disciplinary approach, this accessible guide brings together works from throughout the museum, spanning continents, civilizations, and historical periods.

Insightful and informative texts accompany the reproductions of artworks, placing them in their artistic and historical context. This didactic art guide is the ideal companion for the twenty-first-century visitor to the Louvre—as well as the armchair traveler—and extends an invitation to discover (or rediscover) the wealth and diversity of the artworks held at the greatest museum in the world.

Paperback. 320 pages. 5.5" x 1" x 8.25"