One of Leonardo da Vinci’s last paintings and a prime example of his genius is coming to Louvre Abu Dhabi as part of the museum’s fifth anniversary celebrations.
The National witnessed the unhanging of Saint John the Baptist on Tuesday, before it began its journey from Paris to the UAE. Workers unlatched the two cords from which the painting was suspended and carefully set it on a trolley, wheeling the smiling saint out of the Grande Gallery, where several Renaissance masterpieces, including three other Leonardo paintings, are hung.
The painting will be loaned by the Louvre Museum in Paris and go on display in the permanent galleries of Louvre Abu Dhabi for two years. It will be on show from November 8, which coincides with the museum's anniversary four days earlier.
“I have to say I’m quite moved,” Manuel Rabate, director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, says in Paris. “We just saw da Vinci’s wonderful painting unhanged and prepared for a trip to Abu Dhabi. These kind of moments in museum life are quite touching and important. Indeed, it is a gift for the fifth anniversary organised with the help and support of the Louvre. It is a beautiful painting and an important loan."
Saint John the Baptist, Rabate says, is one of Leonardo's landmark paintings — but it isn’t the first to be shown at Louvre Abu Dhabi. The Tuscan master’s Portrait of an Unknown Woman, also known as La Belle Ferronniere, was loaned by the Louvre to its Abu Dhabi sibling to mark its opening in 2017. The painting was on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi for two years.
“La Belle Ferronniere actually was the first birthday gift that we had from the Louvre,” Rabate says. “It is significant that we are celebrating the fifth anniversary with another exquisite painting by the great master of the Renaissance. It is only possible through the strong relationship and trust between the two museums.”
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Louvre Abu Dhabi, says: “The arrival of this renowned masterpiece from Musee du Louvre demonstrates the unique and profound nature of our long-term collaboration. Visitors to Louvre Abu Dhabi have an unmissable opportunity to engage with a magnificent artwork that captures an extraordinary moment in history and now represents a monumental chapter in our own grand story.
"As we celebrate Louvre Abu Dhabi’s five-year anniversary next month, we must also reflect on how this iconic museum is at the forefront of an unfolding vision for Saadiyat Cultural District — promoting worldwide connections through the universal language of history, culture and the arts.”
“Louvre Abu Dhabi is a unique achievement and a tremendous success in the museum world,” says Laurence des Cars, president and director of Louvre Museum. “This museum, the result of an unprecedented collaboration between the United Arab Emirates and France, has won the hearts and minds of an ever-growing public for five years.
Des Cars says: "The celebration of this anniversary is a great opportunity for the Louvre to reiterate its pride in working alongside our partners and thus projecting ourselves into the next decade. I am delighted to see the arrival at Louvre Abu Dhabi of Saint John the Baptist, a marvellous masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci, which fascinates museum visitors with its intensity and soothing beauty. We could not imagine a finer ambassador of our values.”
The 16th-century oil on wood painting is one of the Parisian Louvre’s most popular displays. It is notable for its youthful depiction of Saint John, who was portrayed as a gaunt figure up until Leonardo's painting.
One of Leonardo's key works, the artist carried the painting with him and ceaselessly worked on it, perfecting the chiaroscuro technique, a method of treating light and shadow. He also used this as a mode of expression, reflecting on emotions and spiritual questions. Both in terms of technique and emotion, des Cars says, Saint John the Baptist represents Leonardo “at his best” and “most expressive".
Dressed in furs and with long curly hair, the saint has an enigmatic smile reminiscent of The Mona Lisa’s and points up towards heaven. The work, thought to have been painted between 1513 and 1516, is among the most spectacular examples of sfumato, one of the canonical modes of painting during the Renaissance, featuring a softened transition of colours.
Leonardo brought the painting with him from Florence when settling in France in 1516 at the invitation of King Francis I. When the artistdied in 1519, the painting was still partly unfinished — including the right arm and the fur covering the body.
Acquired by King Francis I, the painting passed into the collection of King Charles I of England in approximately 1630 before entering the collection of Louis XIV in 1662. The work then remained in the French royal collection until it entered the Louvre during the French Revolution in 1793, when the museum marked its opening.
In 2016, Saint John the Baptist went through a restoration process. The varnish used to seal the painting, which gradually darkens over time, was removed to restore the work’s luminosity. Des Cars says the process made it clearer for the audience to understand its "extraordinary composition".
“It is like an apparition,” she says. “His face and movement emerge out of the shadow. There is also a softness to the treatment that is so touching.”
Many who saw Leonardo's paintings during his lifetime were often uneasy with how lifelike the people in his paintings looked. Saint John the Baptist and The Mona Lisa are both prime examples of this. In the case of the former, his soft glow and the accuracy and scale with which his features are rendered imbues the biblical figure with a human quality.
Des Cars says: “It gives a power like a human presence. Something that is close to us and, at the same time, a symbol of spiritual power. This mix of a human vision, a young man of Leonardo’s time, and the spiritual entity that is represented is the genius of Leonardo. He really broke the code of representation with this painting.
"It is a universal masterpiece. Whatever our religious backgrounds, we can all interact with the painting because we are in the presence of a very strong visual emotion. It touches our heart, minds and eyes. I hope Louvre Abu Dhabi’s public will enjoy this experience and want to know more about Leonardo da Vinci and one day come to Paris to see the other da Vinci works.”
John, who was a contemporary of Jesus of Nazareth, lived a humble life in the desert and became the preacher who announced the coming of the Messiah. He practised baptism in the waters of the Jordan River, hence his nickname John the Baptist.
The preacher is a major figure in Christianity but also one of the prophets of Islam. Subsequently, Saint John the Baptist became the patron saint of the city of Florence in Italy and was a subject often depicted during the Renaissance, an era renowned for its brilliant artistic creations.
The presentation of Saint John the Baptist at Louvre Abu Dhabi is the first in a series of four major loans from the Louvre in Paris, following an agreement between the UAE's and France's cultural departments.
Although not the first time Saint John the Baptist has been loaned to another institution, it will be the longest the work has been away from France, where Leonardo spent his last few years.
The work, with its expansive reach and subject matter, puts it in tune with Louvre Abu Dhabi’s universal model. Rabate says the painting’s image and likeness have proliferated through time until it has become ingrained in the global consciousness. Adding it to a collection that has been curated to draw universal connections also helps in bolstering the narrative of the work.
“We are telling the story of humanity using very strong artworks," Rabate says. "This is the kind of painting whose image you’ve seen everywhere. The work is going to the Permanent Gallery. It will be in the section dedicated to the Renaissance and we will see how it is in dialogue with not only the transformation of the art world in Italy but in other places in the world."
Rabate says the artworks the museum displays highlight interconnected stories that span civilisations, which Saint John the Baptist will add to.
The painting’s acquisition and the museum’s fifth anniversary mark a new chapter for Louvre Abu Dhabi, he adds..
“When you’re celebrating your fifth anniversary, it’s not only the past or the present ... we are looking forward to the next step," he says. "We’re still a very young organisation and museum. We need to strengthen our special narrative, as well as the relationship that we have with French museums and those in the region."
Saint John the Baptist will be displayed at Louvre Abu Dhabi's permanent galleries from November 8 for two years.
Scroll through images of Louvre Abu Dhabi's ongoing Impressionism exhibition below
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
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Match info:
Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)
Pakistan squad
Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
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6027 - Dh100
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
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Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
(All games 4-3pm kick UAE time) Bayern Munich v Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg v Mainz , Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig, Cologne v Schalke , Werder Bremen v Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Company%20profile
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The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
Lewis Hamilton in 2018
Australia 2nd; Bahrain 3rd; China 4th; Azerbaijan 1st; Spain 1st; Monaco 3rd; Canada 5th; France 1st; Austria DNF; Britain 2nd; Germany 1st; Hungary 1st; Belgium 2nd; Italy 1st; Singapore 1st; Russia 1st; Japan 1st; United States 3rd; Mexico 4th
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Sweet%20Tooth
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
EXPATS
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