Bid for the Louvre
December 1 2020
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Louvre in Paris has teamed up with Christie's for a particularly intriguing fundraising event called Bid for the Louvre. The museum is raising money for its social and educational programmes, including the funding of a new space called Studio which will open in Autumn 2021.
In order to raise money for these projects the museum will be auctioning off artworks especially donated by several contemporary artists including Johan Creten, Candida Höfer, Eva Jospin, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Pierre Soulages and Xavier Veilhan.
However, of greater interest to AHN are the unique experiences that the museum are putting up for sale. This includes the opportunity to bid for an opportunity to be present at the annual inspection of the Mona Lisa. In other words, the chance to get closer to the museum's most iconic work than any other member of the public in the past decades. Also mentioned is the possibility of a private tour of the roof tops of the museum.
No estimates or further details have been given as of yet, but I'll update the post as soon as they are. The online auction will run between 1st - 15th December 2020.
Update - Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez has given an interview with La Gazette Drouot giving more details about the scheme:
The 26 lots up for sale include not only works of art donated by contemporary artists with close ties to the museum, but also immersive experiences within the walls of the palace, like a night-time flashlight tour, a discovery of hidden gems in the Drawing Department and a private concert in the Caryatids Room. Some are world firsts, like attending the annual examination of the Mona Lisa outside its protective showcase with Jean-Luc Martinez, or following street artist JR onto the rooftops of the building. Lots contributed by the museum's patrons and partners also include a "within the walls" section, like an exclusive tour of the collections, followed in one case by dinner at the Michelin-star restaurant Le Meurice and an overnight stay in the luxury hotel. The Ritz is also offering an overnight stay, this time preceded by a pastry-making course at the Ritz Escoffier school.
