The Mona Lisa, the world’s most famous portrait, could get its own room at the Louvre, the museum’s director said.
Such a move would offer visitors, many of whom visit the Louvre just for the famous painting, a better experienceLaurence des Cars told France Inter broadcaster.
“It’s always disappointing when you don’t give visitors the best possible welcome, and that’s the case with the Mona Lisa,” he said, underlining that: “A better solution seems necessary to me,” adding that the Louvre is in contact with the Ministry of Culture for possible solutions. .
The Louvre, the most popular museum in the world, welcomed almost 9 million visitors in 2023. According to the Guardian, Des Cars stated that 80% of them – 20,000 people a day – braved the crowds to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile, often taking selfies in front of the painting.
The Mona Lisa sits in the Louvre’s Salle des États (State Hall), the museum’s largest room, inside a protective glass case, but Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece is not alone there.
It is alongside works by 16th-century Venetian masters, while across the hall is the Louvre’s largest painting, The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese.
The Mona Lisa was targeted by two environmental protesters in January who threw soup, calling for a “healthy and sustainable diet”. The painting, which was behind bulletproof glass, was not damaged.
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