The Louvre Museum announced on Monday the closure of its Campana Gallery to the public as a precautionary measure due to "the particular fragility of certain beams supporting the floors." This latest setback comes just one month after a burglary that caused an estimated 88 million euros in damages to the world's most visited museum.
The Campana Gallery, located on the first floor of the south wing and dedicated to ancient Greek ceramics, spans nine rooms along the Seine River. Despite having undergone two years of renovation work before reopening in 2023, structural concerns have now forced its temporary closure on November 17.
The gallery houses "thousands of vases offering a very complete panorama of ancient Greek ceramics," according to the Parisian institution. Named after Marquis Giampietro Campana, a 19th-century marquis who "had assembled one of the most important private collections in Europe," the gallery showcases masterpieces of Greek ceramic art that are over 2,500 years old.
Among the collection's highlights are several remarkable antiquities, including an owl-shaped aryballos, an Attic geometric crater, and a circular pyxis. "The exhibited vases demonstrate technical progress," the Louvre Museum proudly notes, particularly citing "the use of the potter's wheel." The gallery's ceilings feature representations of French kings "depicted as protectors of the arts," including François I, Henry IV, Louis XIII, and Louis XIV.
One notable ceiling painting by Jean Alaux depicts "Poussin arriving from Rome, where he had been recalled on the orders of Louis XIII, being presented to the king by Cardinal Richelieu, who names him his first painter." This artistic decoration emphasizes the historical connection between French royalty and artistic patronage.
The closure occurs within the context of the "New Renaissance of the Louvre" plan presented by Emmanuel Macron in January, which has been valued at 1.15 billion euros by the Court of Auditors. The Sully wing, where the Campana Gallery is located, is scheduled for "restoration, modernization, and revitalization" as part of this comprehensive renovation project.
On November 6, the Court of Auditors criticized the Louvre Museum for having "prioritized visible and attractive operations at the expense of building maintenance and renovation of technical installations, particularly security and safety systems." The report specifically highlighted the museum's state of "accelerated deterioration."
These findings align with concerns raised by Louvre President Laurence des Cars, who warned in January about the museum's aging infrastructure and "damage in spaces that are sometimes very deteriorated." The structural issues forcing the Campana Gallery's closure underscore the urgent need for comprehensive maintenance and renovation work throughout the historic institution.
