The Furious Spinner

You can go on a virtual tour of the Louvre! You can "walk" around the Louvre using this site. It only gives one link, so you should click on "virtual tour" in the left hand corner. Then pick which part of the museum you wish to roam around in. You need QuickTime player if you don't already have it. Once you are in the room, put your pointer inside the room. On my ibook, if I hold down the pad (or you hold down your mouse), I can stand still and go all around the room. Using the shift key, you can get closer to the artwork, although it blurs rather quickly. The option key will zoom you out again. It's wonderful!

I visited the Louvre when I was eighteen and backpacking across Europe with a friend. I was overwhelmed at the size of the place—and immediately exhausted. I don't remember many specific artworks I saw, but I do remember the "The Mona Lisa." It is on a wall with a bunch of other paintings. Now, because of attempted vandalism and for preservation, the painting is enclosed in glass (or plastic), but it remains on the same wall, in the same place as far as I can tell.

The painting, completed in 1507, went to the Louvre in 1804. In 1911, "La Gioconda" (The Mona Lisa) was stolen. Fortunately it was recovered two years later. Pablo Picasso was questioned about the theft!

Have fun. May you walk in joi! 0 comments

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All photographs and written material copyright © 2003-2008 by Kim Antieau unless otherwise indicated. May not be used without permission.