Louvre Highlights10 Must-See Masterpieces

This marble masterwork (c. 190 BCE) once crowned a ship's prow to celebrate a naval triumph. Despite missing head and arms, the wind-whipped drapery and powerful stride convey unstoppable forward motion. Standing at the top of the Daru staircase, it remains the ultimate symbol of Hellenistic dynamism and victory.

Designed in 1661 for Louis XIV, this dazzling gallery served as the prototype for Versailles' Hall of Mirrors. Gold, stucco, and paintings narrate Apollo's solar journey, symbolizing the Sun King's power. It now houses the French Crown Jewels, combining architectural splendor with royal treasure in one breathtaking space.

Facing the Mona Lisa, the Louvre's largest painting depicts a biblical miracle as a lavish imaginary Venetian banquet. Over 130 figures—including kings, sultans, and the artist himself—populate this chaotic, colorful feast. It's a masterpiece of Mannerist composition, balancing religious narrative with vivid contemporary detail.

This 1830 anthem to freedom embodies the spirit of the French Revolution. Liberty, bare-chested and holding the tricolor, leads a diverse crowd over the barricades. Delacroix's dynamic composition and emotional brushwork defined French Romanticism, making this image a universal symbol of struggle and people's power.

At 10 meters wide, this monumental canvas documents Napoleon's 1804 coronation with political precision. Breaking tradition, Napoleon crowns his wife Josephine, asserting his self-made power. Every detail, from the velvet textures to the portraits of onlookers, was calculated to legitimize the new Empire and its ambitious ruler.

This shocking work (1819) depicts the desperate survivors of a real shipwreck, abandoned by their incompetent captain. Géricault studied corpses to achieve horrifying realism, capturing the moment hope struggles against despair. A political scandal in its time, it remains a powerful icon of Romanticism's focus on human suffering.

This rare series of frescoes (c. 1483) showcases Botticelli's graceful line and poetic elegance. Venus and her attendants offer gifts to a young bride, symbolizing beauty and virtue. The fluid drapery and ethereal figures capture the humanist ideals and artistic refinement of Florence's Golden Age.

Canova's masterful marble (1793) captures the tender moment Cupid awakens Psyche with a kiss. The complex composition of interlocking limbs and wings draws the eye to their embrace. The smooth, lifelike texture of the skin contrasts with the rough rock, exemplifying Neoclassical perfection and emotional resonance.

Discovered in 1820, this armless goddess (c. 100 BCE) is the epitome of classical beauty. Her twisting spiral pose (contrapposto) and falling drapery create a sense of movement and volume. Despite the mystery of her missing arms, she remains the world's most admired ancient statue of Aphrodite.