The Louvre Museum has sparked controversy by installing a large mirror in the Daru Room where Jacques-Louis David's famous painting "The Sabines" once hung. The painting was temporarily removed for an upcoming David retrospective exhibition, but instead of displaying other rarely seen masterpieces from its vast collection, the museum chose to fill the space with what critics call an expensive and environmentally questionable installation.
Sébastien Allard, director of the Louvre's painting department, celebrated the installation on LinkedIn with photos showing "an immense mirror [that has] already been installed in front of The Coronation." The four-part mirror faces David's "The Coronation of Napoleon," creating what the museum describes as an "immersive experience" that pays homage to the painter's love of theatricality.
Art critic Didier Rykner has strongly criticized the decision, questioning whether the Louvre truly values its collections. Rather than showcasing one or two large-scale paintings that are rarely or never displayed—some of which are rolled up in storage and could benefit from restoration—the museum opted for this costly mirror installation. Rykner argues this contradicts the fundamental mission of museums, which is to exhibit their collections to the public.
The Louvre justifies the mirror installation by claiming David himself used mirrors when displaying his works. On its Facebook page, the museum explained that "in connection with our upcoming exhibition dedicated to Jacques-Louis David and as a tribute to the painter's taste for theatricality, a large mirror has been installed facing 'The Coronation of Napoleon.' David had indeed exhibited it this way, in order to immerse viewers a little more in the canvas."
However, historical evidence for this claim appears questionable. While the Louvre's website mentions that "The Sabines" was "completed in autumn 1799 and presented in front of a vast mirror in the former meeting room of the Academy of Architecture," this refers to the very painting that was removed for the exhibition. Although a mirror was present in David's studio when Empress Josephine visited on November 28, 1807, as reported in the December 7, 1807 edition of "Affiches, annonces et avis divers," there's no evidence such a setup was used during the painting's public exhibition from February 7 to March 21, 1808.
Critics also point out the environmental hypocrisy of the installation. The Louvre frequently promotes itself as an ecologically virtuous museum, yet commissioned an expensive large-scale mirror with a significant carbon footprint. The funds used for this temporary installation could have been better spent on acquisitions or restoration projects for the museum's neglected works.
The controversy highlights a broader issue with the Louvre's collection management. Numerous significant paintings remain hidden in storage, never seen by the public. Among the works that could have been displayed instead are Louis Lafitte's "A Dying Warrior," Charles Meynier's "Justice" (1815), Jacques-Augustin Pajou's "The Departure of Regulus for Carthage" (1793), and Jean-Charles-Nicaise Perrin's massive "Cyrus Condemned to Perish by Order of Astiages, Third King of the Medes" (1801).
Other notable works gathering dust in storage include Pierre-Paul Prud'hon's "Meeting of Napoleon I and Francis II of Austria, December 4, 1805" (1809) and Pierre Revoil's "The Ring of Emperor Charles V" (1810). Additionally, several important paintings desperately need restoration, including François-Guillaume Ménageot's "Meleager Begged by His Family to Take Arms to Defend the City of Calydon" (1788-1789) and Jean-Baptiste Regnault's enormous "Victorious France" (1805), which measures 460 x 900 cm.
The mirror installation represents what critics see as the Louvre's transformation into "a vast playground" rather than a serious institution dedicated to preserving and displaying art. The museum did not respond to requests for comment about the cost and environmental impact of the installation. This incident raises fundamental questions about museum priorities and whether one of the world's most prestigious cultural institutions is fulfilling its duty to make art accessible to the public.
