The louvre / The history, The collections, The architecture. Genevieve Bresc-Bautier. With photographs by Rondeau Gerard.

"It's not only Europe's greatest museum; the Louvre is also a palace, upon which France's kings, revolutionaries, emperors and presidents have projected visions of power and nationhood. Visit without the crowds or the jet lag with this sumptuous volume, whose 600 pages let you scrutinize the woodwork of Henri II's bedroom, the gold of Louis XIV's Galerie d'Apollon, the glass of I.M. Pei's pyramid. The pleasure of this book comes from narrating the Louvre's history as residence and museum together, and photographing the whole collection in situ." - NEW YORK TIMES, Best Art Books of 2020"...with sumptuous full-color photographs by Gerard Rondeau that can be almost as alluring as the art pictured." -WALL STREET JOURNAL "With trips to Paris on the shelf indefinitely, the next best thing might just be Rizzoli's new doorstop The Louvre, a history of and illustrated guide to the museum's collections. Through hundreds of high-quality photographs, the book tells the story of the building and its holdings, all wrapped in an attractive hardback package, with a delightful bound ribbon bookmark." -NEW CRITERION "Holiday Gift Guide/Best Art Books 2020: Visit without the crowds or the jet lag with this sumptuous volume, whose 600 pages let you scrutinize the woodwork of Henri II's bedroom, the gold of Louis XIV's Galerie d'Apollon, the glass of I.M. Pei's pyramid. The pleasure of this book comes from narrating the Louvre's history as residence and museum together, and photographing the whole collection in situ." -NEW YORK TIMES

A Medieval Fortress (13 p.) The Renaissance Palace (51 p.) The 'Grand Design' of the Bourbons (105 p.) From the Museum National des Arts to be the Musee Napoleon (249 p.) Museum and Monarchical Power: A New Royal Palace (345 p.) The New Louvre: A Dream Come True (461 p.) Toward the Grand Louvre and After (531 p.)