Talk:Louvre
Perhaps I'm wrong, I don't see the value of these pictures. Surely there are better one available that give more insight, particularly the exterior....DW
- I rather like them. They show the architectural detail inside the building, and show its history as a royal palace. A nice outside overall shot would be nice too, of course. -- Tarquin
- I've replaced the fireplace pics with three pics I took in 2001, one is an exterior as Tarquin suggested. The other two show a painting and a sculpture. I agree with DW, I believe that the majority of visitors to the Louvre article would be looking for a pic of the place itself and of some exhibits. But then, I would say that, wouldn't I!! -- Adrian Pingstone 08:49 Mar 25, 2003 (UTC)
Some of the text at bottom overlaps with the picture caption at 800 x 600 resolution. What can be done to fix this? -- Lee M 02:28, 10 Aug 2003 (UTC)
Regarding the following paragraph:
"I. M. Pei's glass pyramid entrance, 1985 - 1989, providing a modern entrance to the various museums, seems in retrospect to be the inevitable and perfect unobtrusive solution to an impossible design problem. It was highly controversial when it was built."
First - some clarification of the first sentence would be appreciated. What exactly was the design problem, and how was this pyramid the solution to it?
Second - I find a lack of objectivity in the description of the pyramid. "Inevitable"? What is that supposed to mean? "Perfect"? "Unobtrusive"? I have not been to the Louvre, but having seen the photo of the front entrance, I would argue that the pyramid is neither perfect nor unobtrusive. It appears to be a very fine structure in its own right - but, to my eye, it doesn't exactly fit seamlessly within the more classical surroundings.
I imagine that the controversy that existed when the pyramid was built remains with us to this day; a rewording to reflect both sides of the controversy might alleviate the problem with the paragraph's objectivity. --- TyroCat Nov. 7, 2004
- Perhaps if "providing a modern entrance to the various museums" isn't expansive enough, you'd enlarge upon the "design problem" specifics for Wikipedia readers. Did you find better adjectives, perhaps from well-known figures, when you Googled the issue? Any assessment of esthetic success might be characterized as a "problem with objectivity." Did your reading find that the Wikipedia assessment is not a mainstream assessment, then? --Wetman 09:16, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
The design problem was the following. Where do we put the new exhibit halls, the new storage facilities and the new labs? Where do we put the new entryway, given that the old one is insuffcient to handle crowdsThe Seine is behind the Louvre and untouchable buildings surround it. The problem was known and studied several generations ago and the solution was always the same: Dig up the central "Napoleon court", right where the pyramid is today. Yes, there was a controversy over the pyramid (back in 1985 when all these were still in planning) , but it was mainly because of the vast sums of money involved in this new structure. Some would have preferred that more money go into renovating the existing structures with only a little for some humbler new strutures. And of course there was the fact that Pei, the main architect was a foreigner! The fact that he was also a US citizen may or may not also have made things worse, depending on how badly an ungrateful (from the french point of view) Reagan administration was treating France during the many years that the controversy lasted in the late 1980s. The pyramid was an ideal solution becasue it was both transparent and reflective depending on lighting conditions, and this ambivalentce seduced president François Mitterrand and many other French intellectuals, including the future and after that actual presidentJacques Chirac. At least, they made a lot of it! You could see the old parts of the Louvre through it at times and at others it reflected cleanly the sky and the topp of the old parts. It was a perfect statement as an entry point to the Louvre. You could not miss the entrance, and this is a crucial design point. This will give you an idea of the former controversy: http://www.ladocfrancaise.gouv.fr/documentation/photographie/expos/ciel_de_paris/louvretx.htm Take a look at this photo of the pyramid within the context of the buildings of the Louvre, instead of singled out. It shows you that all of the Louvre buildings around it are taller, and the new reflecting pools and fountains (sadly not impressive in this particular photo) surround it at the base, minimizing its impact. http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/pei/louvre_rfo.jpg This one also gives a good idea of the sizes involved. http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~sedwards/photos/paris2002/Images/P3021302%20Louvre%20Pyramid.jpg And there is of course, the fact that since the Louvre surroinds the pyramid, it is invisible from all the other three sides: http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~bump/fr/Louvre/Louvre.jpg I did a few searches and have not found any lingering dissatisfaction over the pyramid. I have found however a great deal of pride over the excellence of the French hi-tech construction techniques used and the French savoir faire in putting it all together without harming the old Louvre. --AlainV 11:17, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
- AlainV, your material perhaps should go at I. M. Pei, with a mention at Louvre that there is further material at the Pei entry? Then no one could have problems... though an anon. user now seems to have an issue with the Louvre being one of the "greatest" museums, and thinks that's a "weasel word"! --Wetman 15:36, 8 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Notable art
This good subsection should be filled out, referring to "What links here" to include all Louvre works of art with their own entries at Wikipedia. "Your assignment, should you care to accept it..." --Wetman 16:54, 31 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- Is this the same museum by the name museum's Salle des Etats ?
Layout
A strip of illustrations down the right hand edge like a pane of postage stamps? This layout needs the elegant touch of that master of layout design, User:Duncharris. --Wetman 10:08, 25 Jun 2005 (UTC)
- I think its pretty elegant right now. Its more elegant than your std. web page.--Muchosucko 1 July 2005 14:20 (UTC)
Axe historique
"Its central courtyard, now occupied by the Louvre glass pyramid, lies in the axis of the Champs-Élysées, and thus forms the nucleus from which the Axe historique springs." Anyone who has stood there knows this is not true. The Arc du Carrousel provides the pivot to the slightly off axes. The development of the "axe historique is discussed at Champs-Elysées. Anyone care to rethink this statement and give it a rewrite? --Wetman 04:59, 9 August 2005 (UTC)
Pictures Removed
This article was perfectly fine before, and now all but one of the pictures were removed. What's the deal? -Devin
Ok, never mind
I guess the pictures were removed as a result of vandalism....my mistake. -Devin