PARIS (AP) – The 518-year-old Mona Lisa has seen many things in her life on a wall, but rarely: almost four months without visitors to the Louvre.
As she stared through bulletproof glass at the quiet Salle des Etats, in what was once the world’s most visited museum, her celebrated smile could almost indicate relief. A little further on, the white marble Venus de Milo is once again free of her belt of picturesque visitors.
It is uncertain when the Paris museum will reopen, after it closed on October 30 in accordance with the French government’s virus control measures. But those lucky enough to take advantage of a rare private look at collections spanning 9,000 years of human history – with plenty of room to breathe.
This is usually lacking in a museum that is hampered by its own success: before the pandemic, staff walked in and complained that they could not handle the overcrowding, with up to 30,000-40,000 visitors a day.
The forced closure also gave museum officials a golden opportunity to carry out renovations that were simply not possible with nearly 10 million visitors a year.
Unlike the first exclusion, which brought all Louvre activities to a standstill, the second 250 employees of the museum went into full operation.
An army of curators, restorers and workers are cleaning up sculptures, arranging artifacts, checking inventories, reorganizing entrances and carrying out restorations, including in the Egyptian wing and the Grande Galerie, the museum’s largest hall which is being completely refurbished.
“We are using the closure of the museum to carry out a number of major works, expedite the maintenance work and start repairs that are difficult to plan if the museum is operating normally,” Laurent le Guedart, the Louvre’s architectural heritage and gardens. Director told AP from the Grande Galerie.
While le Guedart was speaking, restorers stood on top of the scaffolding and took scientific sins from the walls and prepared for a planned restoration, and they traveled layer after layer of paint to the 18th century.
Around the corner, the sound of carpenters picking up floorboards was clearly audible. They installed the cables for a new security system.
Previously, this work could only be done on a Tuesday, the Louvre’s only closed day of the week. Now typing hammers, drilling machines and scrubbing brushes according to a complete weekly schedule, which is only slightly delayed by social distance measures.
In total, ten large-scale projects have been underway since March last year – which are progressing rapidly.
These include 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 underway.
“When the museum reopens, everything will be perfect for its visitors – this Sleeping Beauty had time to powder her nose,” said Elisabeth Antoine-Konig, curator of the Artifacts section. “Visitors will be happy to see these now well-lit rooms with polished floors and refurbished display cabinets again.”
Initially, only visitors with pre-bookings will have access according to the virus security measures.
Those who can not wait can see the Louvre’s treasure trove of art online in virtual tours.
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Adamson reported from Leeds, England
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