Eight Departments of Art Culture at the Louvre

The Louvre is undoubtedly the most famous art museum. Situated in the heart of Paris, the various works of art at the Louvre are divided into the eight different departments – Decorative Arts, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Near Eastern Antiquities, Paintings, Prints and Drawings, Sculptures.

The Decorative Arts section includes a range of vases, bronze, ceramics, stained glass and enamels covering a period from the Middle Ages to the middle of the 1800s.  

The Egyptian Antiquities collection, illustrating ancient Egyptian life, is exhibited in more than 20 rooms.  Among its ancient treasures are mummies, papyrus and art works and the statue 'The Seated Scribe'.

The Greek Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section of the Louvre includes sculptures and jewelry and features the famous works of the statue 'Winged Victory' (Nike of Samothrace) and the 'Venus de Milo'.

The Islamic Art section was originally included in the Decorative Arts collection, but became a department in its own right in the year 2003.

The Louvre's Near Eastern Antiquities section includes the famous Code of Hammurabi, a stone tablet measuring over 2 meters, that demonstrates ancient Babylonian code of law.

The Louvre's Paintings section contains over 6,000 paintings, out of which a large portion were created by French artists.  Among a host of renowned works and a wealth of famous artists, Leonardo da Vinci's legendary painting 'Mona Lisa' sits in all its glory.

The Prints and Drawings department was initiated in 1797 and contains over 60,000 works, while the Sculptures section includes a variety of statues and other sculpted works.

Due to the sheer size of the Louvre, it is well recommended to plan in advance which areas of the museum are more important to see.  Alternatively, visitors may just wander, but it should be noted that the museum can be rather overwhelming.  In addition, it would be a shame to miss out on a glimpse of the Louvre's most famous works of art or something particular that a tourist wished to observe.  Viewed by many experts as the greatest collection of art in the world, the Louvre is one of the essential top sites for tourists to the French capital.

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