Yes, I had a crush on the Louvre: My 30 visits to the Louvre

 

 

I am 80 now and was very adventurous in my younger years. I did some things that were dangerous, traveling in the Israel and Jordan desert, not on a tour. My friend from college Carol and I traveled on a shoestring budget and had many adventures including spending the night in a desert police fort near Petra. The police were Bedouin and invited us to stay the night in a guard tower, they were great gentlemen. We visited the U.S. consulate and they said it was dangerous for two young girls age 20 to roam the desert not in a tour. More in another post. 

 

 

Yes, I fell in love with the Louvre and the beauties and history it contains. Before my senior year in college I spent two months in the summer in Paris on my own, on a strict budget, mainly soaking up the art and architecture of the city. Later my husband and I spent four months there, two in spring and two in December and January. I saw an excellent documentary on the Louvre today and counted up my visits. Thirty in all. Netsukes captivated me, tiny sculptures the size to hold in the palm of your hand. Many sadly were made of ivory.

 

My most visited areas were the classic Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace, the paintings, the Egyptian treasures and I had a special fondness for the Netsukes, the tiny sculptures you can hold in your hand. After the summer in Paris I completed my major in Art History. 

Below is a beautiful Egyptian art work. I am not sure if it is in the Louvre but they have an extensive Egyptian collection.

 These two photos show the heroic graceful statue The Winged Victory of Samothrace.

 

 My frequent often daily visits were noted by an older guard who stood near exhibits and he started saying Bonjour to me. That was quite a friendly treat. 

In addition to the Louvre a favorite visit was to the old house that had been the studio of Rodin. His sculptures were everywhere, in the studio and out. Another museum I visited several times held the Monet pond and water lily paintings. They were displayed in an oval room in the Jeu de Paumes and went all around the room so it felt like you were surrounded by beauty on all sides, all around. 

What are your favorite museums?