Leonardo Da Vinci's Exhibition Hits Paris
I wish I could write a fantastic review of the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition at the Louvre. The exhibition, featuring 160 art pieces, took ten years of hard work to put together. Displaying art from private exhibits from all over the world, the showcase borrowed pieces from countless, exclusive collections including that of Bill Gates and even the Queen of England. 180,000 people reserved a spot to see the exhibit. It had to be great. I wanted to love it so so badly, but I just couldn't.
Let's put things back into perspective. In Paris, December 5th, 2019 has became an infamous day: the starting point of the hell-type-strike the broke out in response to pension reforms. Because my ticket bought online was matching with the strike dates, I actually thought it was the perfect time to go since there would be fewer people. Well, to say that I was wrong is an understatement. As I arrived at the Louvre after a good walk from my place, I was at first pleased with the outside of the Louvre. It gave me Tuesday Louvre vibes. Yes, Tuesday. The day when you decide to visit and show the Louvre's beauty to your foreign friends. But, this time, when I arrived, I had the bad surprise to learn that the Louvre was closed this Tuesday. To say the very least, it was the perfect time for the few remaining tourists to take their pictures holding on to the top of the transparent pyramid. I was then able to walk straight to the museum access without having to wait even a minute before I was allowed to enter the exhibition.
The outside of the Louvre on the 5th of December. Image Credit: Ariane Petit
When I finally entered the exhibit, it was extremely dark. I needed my phone's flashlight to be able to read the description of the first piece of art I was observing. Seeing that it was the case for every other piece as well, I gave up and started to read the booklet they were displaying at the entrance. The exhibition did not only include Da Vinci's work but also work, but also that of one of his founding fathers and even some of his students. The collection was meant to represent a legacy, the heritage generation that has developed throughout the years.
The problem that I encountered from the very beginning to the end of this exhibition was due to the size and the precision of the artwork. The combination made it very difficult to see and admire the work of the artist correctly. Some of them where tiny drawings in which you needed to get very close, and unfortunately, with the crowd it was something almost impossible. The exihbition starts with a massive bronze sculpture of the Christ and Saint Thomas by Andrea del Verrocchio.
Christ and Saint Thomas, Andrea del Verrocchio. Image Credit: Ariane Petit
The exhibition also contained a copy of one of Da Vinci's most famous piece: The Last Supper. It was allegedly painted by Marco d'Oggiono . It took up an entire wall. But, then again, I couldn't get too close to it either because of the crowd.
In regards to my overall experience, I have mixed feelings. On one side, I am glad that a lot of people are interested in art or at least keen on learning about it. However, there were too many visitors for anyone to be able to enjoy the exhibit. With that being said, if you're a student, I still think it's worth seeing since it's entirely free for people under 26. The exhibition ends on February 24, 2020, but if you haven't booked your ticket, then it is too late since there are no tickets left on their website anymore. All the same, we may be able to expect that the museum decides to prolonge the exhibit's length due to its grand success in visitor turnout.
