Statues of the Louvre

We're feeling nostalgic this week, so it's a good time to share memories of that lovely city across the water - Paris! Specifically, its crown jewel the Louvre Museum.

When entering the enormous stately hall of the Louvre, visitors are struck by the marble terraces of the sculpture gallery. The architects and curators dazzle us by setting the sculptures in broad daylight; the size and grandeur of the figures tell the story.

It might be sacrilege, but I have always been mesmerised by the great sculptures, so much that I've sometimes neglected the more acclaimed work in the painting galleries.

As a longtime reader of Greek and Roman mythology, the statues embody the characters that I've spent a lifetime with. Despite their intimidating size, I find them comforting in their majesty and beauty, and delight in revisiting my favourite stories in physical form.

Psyche abducted by Zephyr

The statues retell the stories of gods and heroes at their most dramatic moments: a woman is carried off by the West Wind, a pair of lovers dies in battle.

The curators sometimes dialled up the drama by placing the statues in a playful way that told a story. In one gallery, Eros carved his bow from the club of Herakles...

Cupid cutting his bow from the club of Hercules,
Emile Bouchardon

...while across the room, Psyche gazed longingly at him from her sofa.

Psyche abandoned,
Augustine Panjou

The Baroque authors housed in their gallery seemed eager to write down the story unfolding in front of them. I was equally excited to capture this diorama!

To me as an artist, especially an artist that adores the human form, the sculpture galleries are a vast, permanent figure drawing class, with the most well-proportioned subjects.

The Three Graces, James Pradier

The poses are wonderfully expressive, the clothing (when there is any) a delight to draw, and the model will hold the pose forever!

Angel engraving the memory of King Francis,
Frémyn Roussel

I drew a lot of the statues on the spot, but as time was short before I had to catch my train, I also took a lot of pictures for my reference folder.

Mercury, Dominique Lefebre.

The sculptures are perfect for drawing practice - the marble shows simple light values, making the forms easy to shade and render.

The figures pose dramatically, telling their story with expression and body language.

I couldn't resist retelling the little story of Cupid and Psyche with my own thoughts.

The Louvre isn't just a tourist attraction with a few key spots to check off a bucket list. It's home to hundreds of vibrant expressions of the inner world of artists. Next time you can visit a museum, try something different and wander off to less populated galleries. You can find something to inspire you.

Muse of Poetry