On August 10, 1793, the Louvre Museum officially opened its doors to the public, transforming into a museum.
The Louvre Museum houses three world-renowned treasures: the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa painting, and the Winged Victory sculpture.
With over 400, 000 art collections, including sculptures, paintings, decorative arts, and artifacts from ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, Etruria, and Rome, as well as various artworks from the East spanning from the Middle Ages to modern times, the Louvre Museum has become a world-famous art palace and one of the largest art repositories, captivating the attention of the world.
Upon entering the Louvre Museum, Leo followed the signs and first went to see the Venus de Milo.
The Venus de Milo is widely known around the world. It is a marble sculpture believed to have been carved by Alexandros of Antioch between 150 BC and 50 BC in ancient Greece.
The statue was discovered in February 1820 near a tomb site on the Greek island of Milos in the Aegean Sea. It is a sculpture with a missing arm.
Despite the missing right arm, it still showcases the graceful curves unique to women, appearing dignified and alluring.
After France acquired it at a high price, it was displayed in a dedicated exhibition room at the Louvre Museum, stunning the world with its unparalleled charm. Since then, the Venus de Milo has gained worldwide fame and become a symbol of love and beauty.
Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty, as well as a symbol of fertility and abundance.
In Greek mythology, she is known as Aphrodite, while in Roman mythology, she is called Venus.
She governs human love, marriage, fertility, and the growth and reproduction of all living things. Born from the sea, she is renowned for her beauty.
Legend has it that she was born from the foam of the sea and arrived at Mount Olympus accompanied by the three goddesses of time and three goddesses of beauty. The gods were captivated by her beauty and sought her love.
After being rejected by her, Zeus married her off to Hephaestus, the ugly and lame god of fire. However, she fell in love with Ares, the god of war, and gave birth to Eros, the god of love.
She later helped Prince Paris of Troy elope with Helen, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece. This incident sparked the ten-year Trojan War.
After visiting the Venus de Milo, Leo went to see the Winged Victory, the second of the three treasures.
The head and arms of the Winged Victory are missing, but it is still considered a famous masterpiece of ancient Greek sculpture.
From any angle, viewers can see and feel the majestic posture of the Winged Victory as she spreads her wings.
Slightly leaning forward, her robust and graceful body, along with her soaring wings, fully embody the victorious spirit and triumphant passion.
The sea breeze seems to blow from her front, revealing glimpses of her voluptuous and elastic body through her thin garments. The texture of her dress and the carved folds are breathtaking.
The flowing corners of her clothes and spread wings create extremely smooth lines, while the wavy lines of her legs and wings form an obtuse-angled triangle, enhancing her forward posture.
Next is the final treasure to visit-the Mona Lisa. This is what Leo is most interested in, due to the long-heard rumors about Mona Lisa’s smile.
Among all paintings, the most outstanding and captivating one is undoubtedly Leonardo da Vinci’s immortal masterpiece completed in 1503-the Mona Lisa.
The Mona Lisa is displayed in a large hall on the second floor of the Louvre Museum, embedded in the wall as if specially protected.
The soft light emitted from the glass enclosure is sufficient for viewers to see every detail of the painting.
The Mona Lisa, also known as “La Gioconda,” is considered the first painting in Western art history to focus on psychological portrayal.
It represents da Vinci’s highest artistic achievement and successfully depicts an image of an urban bourgeois woman during the rise of capitalism.
The figure in the painting sits elegantly with a subtle smile. The background depicts deep and vast landscapes, fully demonstrating the artist’s unique smoky “aerial perspective” technique.
The painter strives to achieve a clever combination of rich inner emotions and beautiful appearance for the character.
For key parts of the facial expression such as the corners of the eyes and lips that reveal emotions, special emphasis is placed on capturing both precision and subtlety to achieve a state of charm. Thus, Mona Lisa’s smile possesses an eternal mystery.
That dreamlike and enchanting smile has been referred to by many art historians as “the mysterious smile.”
What’s even more remarkable is that no matter from which angle you look at this famous painting, her gentle gaze always seems to be smiling at you vividly, as if she were right beside you.
It was already dusk when Leo finally walked out of the Louvre Museum. Although he didn’t have much artistic inclination, this visit had a profound impact on him.
At the same time, Leo felt a sense of regret because many treasures in the Louvre Museum originated from Atraria. However, he feared that he would never be able to return there again.
The streetlights were already lit as Leo strolled through a small alleyway, looking for a snack bar to satisfy his hunger.
The alleyway was quite deserted. After walking for a while, Leo’s eyebrows twitched, causing him to stop in his tracks.
Looking up, he saw four young men emerging from somewhere. They held knives in their hands and dressed carelessly-clearly street ruffians trying to make a living.
Leo couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He didn’t expect to encounter such a situation on his first day in Paris. His luck wasn’t exactly great.
“Money! Give it to me!” they demanded.
Leo suppressed his laughter and shook his head. “Money? I don’t have any!”