Your first visit to the Louvre is a big undertaking.
There's no way to see everything in one day, and odds are you wouldn't have much fun if you tried. Its breathtaking collection shows off some 38,000 pieces at any given moment, from prehistoric times up to the 21st century. In addition, it's the world's most visited art museum, raking in over nine million visitors in 2019!
In this post, I'll go over a brief history of the Louvre palace before discussing the museum's must-see pieces. The artworks featured are (mostly) in a recommended chronological order to help you plan your visit. Bonne visite!
A brief history
Originally a defensive fortress built in the 12th and 13th centuries, when it lost its defensive value King Charles V ordered its conversion to become the primary residence of the French royal family. King Francis I was the first to use it as such. This went on until 1682 when the Sun King Louis XIV decided Versailles would become his primary home. The Louvre was eventually converted into the world-renowned art museum we know today.
Getting around
The museum is 782,910 square feet (72,735 square meters), so if you don't know where you're going, you'll never be able to see everything you want to in one day. According to the New York Times, visiting the entirety of the Louvre takes three days! You'd also be walking unnecessary miles, which with this guide you'll hopefully be avoiding.
There are three main sections of the Louvre: Richelieu (runs parallel to Rue de Rivoli), Denon (runs parallel to the Seine river), and Sully (square section that connects the two).
It's crucial that you take the time to map out what it is you want to see and make a rough itinerary. It's also well worth orienting yourself with this map, as not all sections of the Louvre connect. For example, this means if you want to go from Sully to Denon on level -1, you have to go up a level, cross over, and then work your way back down to your original floor. This can be super frustrating unless you make a plan in advance.
That said, if you go in with a plan of attack, you can see the greatest hits in 2-3 hours. From the Mona Lisa to Winged Victory of Samothrace to Napoleon's preserved apartments, here are the best things to see in the Louvre.
Denon Wing
Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
(Denon wing, floor 1, room 711)
Gioconda (Mona Lisa) by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1506. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 711.
The Mona Lisa is a Louvre must-see. Created by the multi-talented Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci during the height of the Italian Renaissance, it's likely the most famous painting there is. The painting's fame is in part from when her image was printed in newspapers across the world when the painting was stolen in 1911 by the Italian handyman Vincenzo Peruggia. The Mona Lisa was considered a minor work of Da Vinci until then. The stolen work was discovered two years later when the thief attempted to sell it in Italy, and the work was promptly returned to Paris.
Over one hundred years later, the painting still captures our attention. Perhaps it's something about her enigmatic smile. From the side, she appears to smile at you. However, when confronted with her head-on, her mouth appears downturned. Or maybe it's the hyper-realistic human anatomy or the remarkable composition of the background.
Whatever it is that draws us to the portrait, we do know one thing for sure: it depicts the Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini. She was the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, hence the painting's original name in Italian: Gioconda. That said, historians found that the painting was never intended to be given to the subject and was supposedly destined for Da Vinci's favored apprentice.
The oil-painted masterpiece was created on a white Lombardy poplar panel and has been housed in the Louvre since 1797.
The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Véronèse
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 711)
Les Noces de Cana (The Wedding at Cana) by Paolo Véronèse, 1563. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 711.
The Wedding at Cana, or The Wedding Feast at Cana is opposite the Mona Lisa in room 711. Véronèse's painting illustrates the crowded festivities from the biblical moment when Jesus turns water into wine.
It's a compositional masterpiece with 130 subjects. Jesus is centered next to Mary with some of his disciples on his right. Véronèse created the oil painting in the Mannerist style, in which pictorial space is flattened giving the work a two-dimensional style, and the figures are stretched and idealized.
It's also the largest painting in the Louvre - an incredible 32 feet (9.94 meters) wide by 22 feet (6.77 meters) tall.
Portrait of a Woman by Leonardo Da Vinci
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 710)
image via Wikimedia Commons
Portrait of a Woman by Leonardo Da Vinci, 1490. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 710.
This exemplary portrait by Da Vinci reinforces his status as one of the greats. Portrait of a Woman was painted in Milan and likely illustrates a lady of the court, though her identity is unknown. Who doesn't love an added layer of mystery?
The piece is often mistakenly identified as La Belle Ferronniere.
Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 700)
La Liberté Guidant le Peuple (Liberty Leading the People) by Eugène Delacroix, 1830. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 700.
Delacroix was considered to be one of the greatest French Romanticism painters and a leader of the style's movement. He was one of the last old Masters of painting and is known among the leagues of Michelangelo.
His oil painting, Liberty Leading the People, is an allegory of the 1830 July Revolution where Parisians rose up and toppled Charles X's government. Funny enough, prior to creating this piece Delacroix worked directly for French King Charles X and depended on the crown financially. He was said to have been experiencing a moral conflict from working for who he considered as the enemy.
At the heart of the painting is Marianne, the personification of France and her liberties. The iconography of liberty dates back to ancient Greece, to which her partially nude figure is likely a nod.
Marianne is holding the flag of the French Revolution, the tricolored flag which eventually became France's national flag, and a musket in the other hand.
She charges ahead atop a mound of corpses and amongst Parisians from all social classes: a bourgeoisie man in a top hat, a student from a prestigious school, and a young manual laborer holding a pistol in each hand.
The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 700)
image via Wikimedia Commons
Originally titled Scène de Naufrage (Shipwreck Scene). Current title is Le Radeau de la Méduse (The Raft Of The Medusa) by Théodore Géricault, 1818–1819. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 700.
The Raft of the Medusa is based on the horrendous aftermath of a real shipwreck at occurred on July 2, 1816. A French royal navy ship named Méduse ran aground and sank on the present-day coastline of Mauritania in Western Africa. Roughly 150 men survived the catastrophe and built a raft out of the ship's lumber in an attempt to stay afloat.
In the 13 days before their rescue, the men faced severe dehydration and were forced into murder and even cannibalism. Once word of the wreck got out, it started quite the scandal - largely due to the supposed incompetence of the ship's captain. Of the 150 initial survivors, only 15 lasted to tell the tale.
Relatively unknown French artist Théodore Géricault interviewed two of the survivors and had them pose before constructing his masterpiece. He spent weeks on preparatory sketches and even visited hospitals and morgues to study the color of the deceased. The monumental final work is about 23 feet (7.16 meters) wide and 16 feet (4.9 meters) tall.
Géricault purposefully chose a subject that had already garnered public interest as the piece that would launch his career. It was unveiled in Paris in 1819. It was a resounding success, and the 27-year-old was instantly eyed as a leading artist of French Romanticism.
The Coronation of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 702)
image via Wikimedia Commons
Le Sacre de l'Empereur Napoléon Ier (The Coronation of Napoleon) by Jacques-Louis David, 1805-1808. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 702.
The Coronation of Napoleon measures a staggering 33 feet wide (10 meters) by 20 feet tall (6 meters), and is a personal favorite of mine. It was commissioned by Napoleon himself in 1804, and work started by the artist a year later.
The oil painting depicts a significant date in France's history: December 2nd, 1804. It was the day Napoleon was crowned Emperor following several military successes in Egypt and Italy. Taking place inside Paris' Notre Dame (at Napoleon's request) shortly after the French Revolution, the real cathedral had suffered extensive damage from the uprising. To mask it, the interior's damage was covered up with silk and velvet sheets featuring the coat of arms and insignia of the Empire. That reality is not seen in David's painting.
The painting is a mix of fact and fiction. Several prominent figures appear in the painting that did not attend in real life. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating work with incredible detail. I could study it all day!
Winged Victory of Samothrace by unknown sculptor
(Denon Wing, floor 1, room 703)
Winged Victory is meant to be viewed from the left-hand side.
Victoire de Samothrace (Winged Victory of Samothrace) by unknown artist, c. 190 BCE. Located in Denon Wing, floor 1, room 703.
Winged Victory is a masterpiece of Greek Hellenistic art. Most commonly referred to as Winged Victory, the statue is also sometimes referred to as Niké, the Greek Goddess of Victory. Though headless and armless, it's still one of the most famous pieces in the Louvre museum.
The 8-foot (2.44 meter) sculpture was quickly added to the Louvre's collection after it was discovered on the remote Greek island of Samothrace in 1863. It sits atop the commanding Daru staircase in the Denon Wing. She appears to float in the air as she guides the way at the bow of a ship.
The sculpture is intended to be viewed from the left-hand side, which explains the exceptional detailing of the cloth on the left, and the comparative lack of detail on the right-hand side.
French crown jewels
(Galerie d'Apollon, Denon Wing, floor 1, room 705)
The crown of Empress Eugénie (background) and her pearl and diamond tiara (foreground)
French crown jewels. Located in Galerie d'Apollon, Denon Wing, floor 1, room 705.
This is one of those instances where the room is equally as magnificent as the work being displayed. The extraordinary space and the works within were renovated in 2019.
The gallery is home to several jewels that formerly adorned royal crowns or clothing. The most notable is the Regent Diamond, a 140-carat diamond worth $57.7 million as of 2015. The space also shows off Louis XV and Empress Eugénie (Napoleon's wife)'s crowns. These dazzling pieces are a must-see on your trip to the Louvre.
Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss by Antonio Canova
(Denon Wing, floor 0, room 403)
image via Wikimedia Commons
Amore e Psiche (Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss) by Antonio Canova, 1787–1793. Located in Denon Wing, floor 0, room 403.
Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss is one of the most romantic pieces in the Louvre. It depicts the end of a Greek myth about two lovers: the princess Psyche (meaning "the soul" in Latin) and the God Cupid (meaning "love" in Latin). In the myth, Psyche goes looking for her lover Cupid after he disappears one night. In her quest, Psyche becomes enslaved to Aphrodite. Aphrodite orders Psyche to the underworld where she must bring a jar she cannot open. Not able to resist, Psyche opens the jar, breaths in the vapors, and falls into a cursed sleep - one that only Cupid's kiss can break. The statue illustrates this joyous moment where Psyche is revived by Cupid's kiss and they embrace.
The marble sculpture has a handle at the base because it was meant to be turned and viewed from all sides. As such, be sure to walk all the way around the sculpture when you see it in person.
Canova made two versions of the work: one is in the Louvre and the other is in the Hermitage Museum in Russia.
The Slaves: the Dying Slave & the Rebellious Slave by Michelangelo
(Denon Wing, floor 0, room 403)
image via Wikimedia Commons
The Slaves: the Dying Slave & the Rebellious Slave by Michelangelo, 1513-1516. Located in Denon Wing, floor 0, room 403.
The Dying Slave (left) and The Rebellious Slave (right) were to be situated in front of Pope Julius II's tomb. They were created from 1513-1516 by the Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo.
The Rebellious Slave was made first. The naked man appears to be drawing his shirt upwards and craning his neck back, perhaps in an attempt to be freed from what binds him.
The Dying Slave depicts another naked man that has fallen asleep as he experiences the final moments of life.
Sully Wing
Medieval Walls
(Sully Wing, floor -1, room 135)
Medieval Walls, 1202. Located in Sully Wing, floor -1, room 135.
Before the Renaissance palace known as the Louvre was built over it, a medieval castle stood in its place. The finishing details were completed by order of King Philip Augustus in 1202. At the time, the fortified military structure was located just outside the city limits of expanding Paris. The castle was composed of a roughly square fortress, in which the perimeter was reinforced by ten defensive towers and encompassed by a moat. At the center of the courtyard stood a 98 foot (30 meter) tall defensive tower to overlook the Seine.
Impressive as it was, it was eventually no longer needed as a military stronghold. During the Renaissance, King Francois I ordered the castle to be leveled and construction on the present-day Louvre palace began.
By leveled, I mean that simply the fortress' walls were removed and the interior ditches were filled in. No one bothered to remove the foundation. It was discovered by accident in the 1980s when construction began on the now iconic glass pyramids. You can walk along the original fortress' foundation on the underground level in the Sully Wing.
Secret tip: look out for a heart engraving on some of the stones. This is the stonemason's original "signature".
Great Sphinx of Tanis by unknown artist
(Sully Wing, floor -1, room 338)
Great Sphinx of Tanis by unkown artist. Difficult to date, anywhere from 2613-1783 BCE. Located in Sully Wing, floor -1, room 338.
The Great Sphinx of Tanis is known as the Guardian of the Louvre. Its claws are outstretched, appearing as if it's ready to pounce! With the head of a human and the body of a lion, sphinxes are protectors and were often placed at the entrances of temples. The Great Sphinx of Tanis is one of the largest sphinxes outside of Egypt.
The granite sculpture was discovered in 1825 in the ancient city of Tanis among the ruins of the temple of Amun. Tanis was the former Egyptian capital during the 21st and 23rd dynasties. However, the sculpture has been around for a lot longer than that, dating anywhere from the 4th or the 12th dynasty.
Why such a range? It's a difficult piece to date. Each pharaoh scratched out the previous engraving with the name of their predecessor and replaced it with their own. This went on for generations.
Vénus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch
(Sully Wing, floor 0, room 345)
Vénus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch, c. 130-100 BCE. Located in Sully Wing, floor 0, room 345.
This statue is synonymous with mystery. Discovered on the Greek island of Milos in 1820, she currently goes by the name Vénus de Milo. The Goddess of Venus represents love, beauty, fertility, and sex. Problem is, Venus is a Roman goddess, not a Greek goddess. Awkward. A more accurate name would have been to name her after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, in which case her name would've been Aphrodite de Milo.
Either way, it's difficult to know for sure if she was meant to depict a goddess at all. There isn't much symbolism present without her arms, so we'll just have to make our own conclusions as to who she is.
Similarly, the artist's identity is still somewhat debated. Most art historians have concluded that the artist was Alexandros of Antioch, as his name was inscribed on a now missing plinth at the base of the statue. So what happened? When the inscription was discovered, it was likely embarrassing for the Louvre and the French government. Suddenly, the sculpture wasn't as old as they thought, and it wasn't created by the previously assumed artist, master sculptor Praxiteles. The plinth was subsequently removed and "lost" (big quotes there) in the 1820s.
A public scandal, tainted pride, and a mysterious woman of many names... it's all very fitting for a woman of such undeniable beauty.
Sleeping Hermaphroditus by unknown artist (Gian Lorenzo Bernini created the mattress)
(Sully Wing, floor 0, room 348)
Sleeping Hermaphroditus by unknown artist in unknown year. Gian Lorenzo Bernini sculpted the mattress in 1620. Located in Sully Wing, floor 0, room 348.
In Greek mythology, Hermaphroditus is the two-sexed child of Aphrodite and Hermes. She/he is a symbol of androgyny. If you approach the life-sized statue from behind, it appears to be a woman draped in cloth resting on her bed. However, upon seeing the rest of her/him, you'll notice the male genitals.
The ancient marble sculpture was discovered in Rome at the Santa Maria della Vittoria.
The Seated Scribe by unknown artist
(Sully Wing, floor 1, room 635)
The Seated Scribe by unknown artist, c. 2450-2325 BCE. Located in Sully Wing, floor 1, room 635.
The Seated Scribe is a well-known ancient Egyptian sculpture, discovered in the Egyptian village of Saqqara in 1850. The work dates back to the 5th or 4th Egyptian dynasty.
The work depicts a scribe in a seated position, appearing calm and attentive, and ready to write. His gaze is fixed on the viewer as if waiting to jot down what they say. He's wearing a knee-length white kilt and is holding a partially rolled sheet of papyrus in his lap (though he's missing his reed brush to write with).
The sculptor spent the most time on the surprisingly realistic face - especially the eyes. His eyes are made from magnesite and polished rock crystal. The rest of the figure is painted limestone, sparing the nipples which are fabricated from wood.
It seems that the sculpture may have originally been outfitted atop a larger rock bearing the sculpture's name due to the flat, semi-circle platform the figure rests on.
Richelieu Wing
Marly Horses by Guillaume Coustou
(Richelieu Wing, floor -1/-2, room 102)
Marly Horses by Guillaume Coustou, 1743–1745. Located in Richelieu Wing, floor -1/-2, room 102.
The Marly Horses are round two of a pair of similar sculptures by Antoine Coysevox, one of Louis XIV’s favorite sculptors. He created these allegorical works to honor the Sun King. There are seen as a technical wonder, as they were carved out of one piece of stone each.
Interesting as they are, round two of these sculptures by Coysevox's nephew Coustou are of more interest. Losing the mythological references entirely, they simply depict men trying to restrain their horses. There's more energy and movement in these pieces, as the almost naked men try to keep the horses from bolting.
All four sculptures can be seen in the Louvre.
The original set of Marly Horses (left) and the second set (right).
Lamassu (Winged Bulls) by unknown artist
(Richelieu Wing, floor 0, room 229)
image via Wikimedia Commons
Lamassu (Winged Bulls) by unknown artist, c. 800-600 BCE. Located in Richelieu Wing, floor 0, room 229.
These Winged Bulls date back to the 8th century BCE from the Assyrian Empire of Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). In fact, the whole room shows off the remnants of the massive city of Dur-Sharrukinat (present-day Khorsabad, a village a few miles northeast of Mosul, Iraq). King Sargon II had the city built as the Empire's new capital, but it lost its status as capital following the death of its founder. Lost to time for centuries, these extraordinary pieces were rediscovered in the 1800s.
The Lamassu, or Winged Bulls, have a bull body, a human head, and five legs. They're seen as protectors which is why they were usually placed at the entrances of palaces.
The creatures also pull off a bit of an optical illusion. When you look at them head-on they appear to be standing still. It's only when you move to the side that you see their five legs that appear to be in motion.
Napoleon III's Apartments
(Richelieu Wing, floor 1, rooms 535-549)
The drawing room - notice the fresco on the ceiling!
The dining room
Napoleon III's Apartments, 1850s. Located in Richelieu Wing, floor 1, rooms 535-549.
Following the end of the French Revolution, Napoleon III (Nephew of Napoleon I) was elected to be the first president of the Second French Republic in 1848. Shortly thereafter he plotted a coup d'état and seized power unconstitutionally in 1851. He became the self-proclaimed Emperor and founder of the Second Empire.
Napoleon was known for spearheading the modernization of Paris and began many large-scale public projects during his time in power. Amongst these many additions to the city was the construction of the Richelieu Wing of the Louvre which began in the 1850s.
The project finished the Louvre's "Great Design", which had been on the roster to complete as French kings had dreamed up the additions for centuries.
The first section of Napoleon's apartments in the new Richelieu Wing housed the Minister of State and his family. They were relatively small, undecorated spaces.
However, these first rooms lead into the larger state apartments that are the definition of opulence. Talk about a place to host a party!
Salon
Even the hallways are lavishly decorated with gold trim.
The apartments included several bedrooms, salons, and a 50-person dining room. The drawing and dining rooms feature massive chandeliers and soft furnishings, and explode with ornate gold and velvet detailing.
Walking through these preserved rooms feels like walking back in time. It's easily my favorite section of the Louvre.
The Lacemaker By Johannes Vermeer
(Richelieu Wing, floor 2, room 837)
image via Wikimedia Commons
The Lacemaker by Johannes Vermeer, 1669–1670. Located in Richelieu Wing, floor 2, room 837.
The Lacemaker depicts a young girl in a yellow dress holding a pair of bobbins in her left hand as she places a pin to make lace on a blue pillow. She is incredibly focused and there are no visual distractions that take away from her work, which is also represented by the plain background. This small, seemingly effortless beauty is emblematic of the Dutch Golden Age.
That said, it's possible that Vermeer used a camera obscura to compose the piece. It has many details that appear photographic in nature, such as the blurring of the foreground which creates depth. Her hair and her hands are also somewhat abstract, which was unusual for Vermeer's style at the time.
There's always going to be more to see in the Louvre, but it's impossible to do it all in one day. Try not to get overwhelmed, and instead focus on being prepared with a plan for what you want to see. This list showcases just a few recommendations that, if you're moving, you could see in two or three hours.
Is there something I missed that you think deserves a top spot? If so, let me know in the comments! I'm curious as to what kind of art you like!
For a practical guide detailing everything from the palace's best entrances to ticket options to eateries, check out my Local's Guide to Visiting the Louvre.
