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In art news today, there are recent developments at the Louvre Museum that we think are worth talking about. Firstly, renovations in the Salle des Bronzes gallery have been reversed after a long dispute between the Cy Twombly Foundation and the museum. We’ll explore the details on this page.


Secondly, the Louvre recently instated its first-ever female director! Laurence des Cars has been captain of the Louvre’s ship since September. In this post, we’ll discuss her plans for 2022.


At SOA Arts, we like to keep our fingers on the pulse of the art world. This way, we can continue to offer the sensational services you deserve.


Twombly Gallery Renovation Reversed

© Commons Wikimedia


This month, the Cy Twombly Foundation and the Louvre finally reached an agreement regarding renovations in the Salle des Bronzes gallery. An installation by Cy Twombly has been featured in the gallery since 2010.


His foundation sued the Louvre earlier this year, claiming that recent renovations conflicted with the artist’s original vision.


The Original Design

Screenshot via http://www.cytwombly.org/



In 2021, the American artist, Cy Twombly, completed an installation called ‘The Ceiling’ in the Salle des Bronzes gallery. A light blue sky with playful yellow circles adorned the ceiling of the room.


Salient to this discussion is the color of the walls and the rest of the gallery. When Twombly first installed his work, the rest of the room was neutral in color. Simple, understated colors accompanied the blue sky that he had painted.


The Changes and Why They Mattered


Earlier this year, changes to the design of the Salle des Bronzes interior sparked controversy. The walls of the space had been repainted to a burnt-red color. The floor had also been swapped out for parquet.


The artist’s foundation argued that these changes undermined Twombly’s original vision. Initially, the Louvre rejected these appeals, which sparked a lawsuit.


The Result


After a long process of discussions and disagreements, the two institutions have finally reached an agreement. The Louvre has agreed to reverse the changes made to the gallery space, and in return, the Twombly foundation have dropped their lawsuit.


The Louvre’s First Female Director – Laurence des Cars

Laurence des Cars, at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, in March.Credit...Alain Jocard/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images


In September 2021, the Louvre welcomed its first-ever female director, Laurence des Cars. This is a landmark decision for the institution; there has never been a female director at the Louvre since its conception in 1793.


Full of hope for the future, des Cars has outlined a few plans for 2022 and beyond.



Exhibitions With Other French Museums



Collaborations between art galleries in France are surprisingly rare. The new director of the Louvre says she’d like to change this fact. In particular, she’d like to work with institutions like the Orsay with collections from after the mid-19th century.


Increased International Partnerships


Sadly, civil unrest and looting in some parts of the world mean that precious art can become lost. Des Cars hope to alleviate some of this problem through increased international partnerships. Partnering with institutions in countries like Sudan, for instance, may help to offer vital support for artworks in dire need of protection.

More Evening Hours


Hoping to attract younger visitors, the new director announced plans to extend the Louvre’s operational hours further into the evening. Des Cars says she wants as many people as possible to “have the pleasure of getting lost in the Louvre”.


These changes would, of course, take current developments with COVID-19 into account.


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