This painting symbolizes the revolutionary spirit of France: known the world over,Eugène Delacroix 's work attracts as many crowds as the Mona Lisa or the Raft of the Medusa. However, for several months now, the famous painting has not been visible in the halls of the Louvre museum.
La Liberté guidant le peuple has been undergoing a lengthy restoration since September 20, 2023. This refurbishment was completed after six months of work, and the painting should once again be on public display from May 2, 2024. " Thanks to the patient work carried out by Bénédicte Trémolières and Laurence Mugniot, La Liberté guidant le peuple has now regained its brilliance, freshness and the wonderful harmony of color so typical of Delacroix," says Laurence des Cars, President and Director of the Musée du Louvre, in a press release.
Two restorers worked long and hard to remove the layers of varnish that were darkening and yellowing the colors. This cleaning is not without risks: the operation can cause damage, erasing shapes, colors and details of the painting. The two professionals rose to the challenge with brio, bringing this Liberty and the figures surrounding it back to life, revealing forgotten elements of Delacroix's work.
The color contrast between before and after is, of course, the most striking: the tricolor flag is gleaming, and Lady Liberty's tunic is far more nuanced than before. The different planes of the artist's composition stand out more clearly, and pictorial and scenic details are revealed...
The restoration also brings good news: once stripped of its layers of varnish, the painting reveals that the original paint is in very good condition, a sign of good health for this masterpiece of French cultural heritage.
On May 2, 2024, we're off to the Louvre to (re)discover La Liberté guidant le peuple, in the Salle Mollien on the second floor of the Denon wing.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 2nd, 2024
Location
Louvre Museum
musée du louvre
75001 Paris 1
Access
Metro Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre
