Photo courtesy - Daniel Gregoire/Unsplash
The Louvre has announced the essential financial support provided by a committed community of patrons for the creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art.
The Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, scheduled to open in 2028, will present the public with a new narrative that helps connect the worlds of Islamic art and Roman antiquities. Visitors will be invited to admire, better identify and understand masterpieces of Byzantine art, from the origins of the Christian image to the early 20 th century. Located in the Denon wing, the Byzantine trail will span 2,200 square metres of fully refurbished architectural spaces, also benefiting from upgraded technical installations. It will feature an ambitious exhibition design entrusted to WHY-BGC, a French-American consortium led by architect Kulapat Yantrasast.
To endow this project with the scope it deserves, the Musée du Louvre has rallied a community of committed patrons. To date, their contributions total 42 million euros. The campaign is ongoing, and other patrons are invited to participate.
The Musée du Louvre would like to extend its sincere thanks to all of the patrons who have provided generous support for the project - Mutuelles d’assurances AXA, The CMA CGM Group, The A. G. Leventis Foundation, The Giorgi Family Foundation, Château Margaux, Chalhoub Group, Philippe Jabre, The Rutherfoord Foundation, Genie Adrianopoulos; and all of the patrons who wish to remain anonymous.
The Musée du Louvre extends its warmest thanks to the Société des Amis du Louvre and the American Friends of the Louvre for their loyal and ongoing support.
Lastly, the Musée du Louvre offers sincere thanks to Samir Assaf, who has played a key role in the creation of this community of patrons.
The new department aims to bring together over 20,000 works, spanning the origins of the Christian image through the early 20 th century, and covering a geographical range extending from Ethiopia to Russia via the Balkans, the Levant, and Mesopotamia.