• Workers at the Louvre in Paris handle a painting called 'Saint Louis, King of France, and his Page' by Spanish painter El Greco, as it returns from an exhibition at the Chicago Institute on February 9, 2021. AP
    Workers at the Louvre in Paris handle a painting called 'Saint Louis, King of France, and his Page' by Spanish painter El Greco, as it returns from an exhibition at the Chicago Institute on February 9, 2021. AP
  • The forced closure of the Louvre has granted museum officials a golden opportunity to carry out long-overdue refurbishments that were simply not possible with nearly 10 million visitors a year. AP
    The forced closure of the Louvre has granted museum officials a golden opportunity to carry out long-overdue refurbishments that were simply not possible with nearly 10 million visitors a year. AP
  • Workers lift a painting called 'Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors' by Spanish painter El Greco, as it returns from an exhibition at the Chicago Institute. AP
    Workers lift a painting called 'Christ on the Cross Adored by Two Donors' by Spanish painter El Greco, as it returns from an exhibition at the Chicago Institute. AP
  • A man walks through the deserted Louvre museum in Paris on February 11, 2021. AP
    A man walks through the deserted Louvre museum in Paris on February 11, 2021. AP
  • Workers handle a bust of Charles Le Brun by French sculptor Antoine Coysevox, in the Louvre on February 17, 2021. AP
    Workers handle a bust of Charles Le Brun by French sculptor Antoine Coysevox, in the Louvre on February 17, 2021. AP
  • A worker transports a painting called 'Portrait of Antonio de Covarrubias y Leiva' by Spanish painter El Greco in the Louvre on February 9, 2021. AP
    A worker transports a painting called 'Portrait of Antonio de Covarrubias y Leiva' by Spanish painter El Greco in the Louvre on February 9, 2021. AP
  • Workers handle the painting 'The Healing of Saint Bonaventure as a Child by Saint Francis' by Spanish painter Francisco de Herrera in the Louvre on February 9, 2021. AP
    Workers handle the painting 'The Healing of Saint Bonaventure as a Child by Saint Francis' by Spanish painter Francisco de Herrera in the Louvre on February 9, 2021. AP
  • A worker cleans the Marly courtyard in the Louvre on February 11, 2021. AP
    A worker cleans the Marly courtyard in the Louvre on February 11, 2021. AP

Art

Repairs, renovations and refurbishments: Paris's empty Louvre gets rare chance for maintenance

Projects that were once on pause are now going full steam ahead at the French museum, as doors remain shut to visitors

Associated Press

February 21, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The 518-year-old Mona Lisa has seen many things in her life on a wall, but rarely this: almost four months with no Louvre visitors.

As she stares out through bulletproof glass into the silent Salle des Etats, in what was once the world's most-visited museum, her celebrated smile could almost denote relief. A bit further on, the white marble Venus de Milo is for once free of her girdle of picture-snapping visitors.

It’s uncertain when the Paris museum will reopen, after being closed on October 30 in line with the French government’s virus containment measures. But those lucky enough to get in benefit from a rare private look at collections covering 9,000 years of human history – with plenty of space to breathe.

That's normally sorely lacking in a museum that's blighted by its own success. Before the pandemic, staff walked out complaining they couldn't handle the overcrowding, with up to 40,000 visitors a day.

The forced closure has also granted museum officials a golden opportunity to carry out long-overdue refurbishments that were simply not possible with nearly 10 million visitors a year.

Unlike the first lockdown, which brought all Louvre activities to a halt, the second has seen about 250 of the museum employees remain fully operational.

An army of curators, restorers and workers are cleaning sculptures, reordering artefacts, checking inventories, reorganising entrances and conducting restorations, including in the Egyptian Wing and the Grande Galerie, the museum’s largest hall that is being fully renovated.

“We’re taking advantage of the museum’s closure to carry out a number of major works, speed up maintenance operations and start repair works that are difficult to schedule when the museum is operating normally,” said Laurent le Guedart, the Louvre’s architectural heritage and gardens director.

As he spoke, restorers were standing atop scaffolds taking scientific probes of the walls in preparation for a planned restoration, travelling back to the 18th century through layer after layer of paint.

Workers handle a bust of Charles Le Brun by French sculptor Antoine Coysevox. AP
Workers handle a bust of Charles Le Brun by French sculptor Antoine Coysevox. AP

Around the corner the sound of carpenters taking up floorboards was faintly audible. They were putting in the cables for a new security system.

Previously, these jobs could only be done on a Tuesday, the only day of the week the Louvre is closed. Now hammers are tapping, machines drilling and brushes scrubbing to a full week schedule, slowed down only slightly by social distancing measures.

In total, 10 large-scale projects that were on hold since last March are under way — and progressing fast.

When the museum reopens, everything will be perfect for its visitors — this Sleeping Beauty will have had the time to powder her nose

This includes works in the Etruscan and Italian Halls, and the gilded Salon Carre. A major restoration of the ancient Egyptian tomb chapel of Akhethotep from 2400 BC is also under way.

“When the museum reopens, everything will be perfect for its visitors — this Sleeping Beauty will have had the time to powder her nose,” said Elisabeth Antoine-Konig, artefacts department curator. “Visitors will be happy to see again these now well-lit rooms with polished floors and remodelled display cases.”

Initially, only visitors with pre-booked reservations will be granted entry in line with virus safety precautions.

Those who cannot wait are still able to see the Louvre's treasure trove of art in virtual tours online.

Recycle Reuse Repurpose

New central waste facility on site at expo Dubai South area to  handle estimated 173 tonne of waste generated daily by millions of visitors

Recyclables such as plastic, paper, glass will be collected from bins on the expo site and taken to the new expo Central Waste Facility on site

Organic waste will be processed at the new onsite Central Waste Facility, treated and converted into compost to be re-used to green the expo area

Of 173 tonnes of waste daily, an estimated 39 per cent will be recyclables, 48 per cent  organic waste  and 13 per cent  general waste.

About 147 tonnes will be recycled and converted to new products at another existing facility in Ras Al Khor

Recycling at Ras Al Khor unit:

Plastic items to be converted to plastic bags and recycled

Paper pulp moulded products such as cup carriers, egg trays, seed pots, and food packaging trays

Glass waste into bowls, lights, candle holders, serving trays and coasters

Aim is for 85 per cent of waste from the site to be diverted from landfill 

While you're here
What it means to be a conservationist

Who is Enric Sala?

Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.

What is biodiversity?

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.