Louvre Museum re-opens newly renovated painting and sculpture galleries

The Louvre Museum in Paris on Tuesday unveiled renovated galleries showcasing 17th and 18th-century Italian and Spanish paintings and opened its new Gallery of the Five Continents.

The newly refurbished rooms of the Louvre now showcase Spanish artworks, including pieces by renowned Baroque painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.

According to the museum, the redesigned Gallery of the Five Continents aims to promote cultural dialogue by uniting more than 200 sculptures from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania.

These works come not only from the Louvre's own collection but also from the Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac Museum and the Guimet Museum of Asian Art. The exhibition space itself has been undergoing extensive renovation for several years.

One of the most striking displays is a face-to-face encounter between a Rapa Nui 'Moai' sculpture from Easter Island and a pharaonic sarcophagus from ancient Egypt, symbolising exchanges across civilizations and time.

Despite its cultural significance, the Louvre — the world’s largest museum has recently faced criticism regarding security lapses.

Following a major jewelry theft involving Napoleonic-era pieces, several rooms were temporarily closed for security reasons.

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