Was at the Louvre in 1999, and there was already a stark contrast between the crowd of Mona Lisa and the rest of the museum, lol.
It’s Time to Take Down [aka move] the Mona Lisa
- Thread starter signal
- Start date
Working in a museum, the first thing you realize is that art and education is the last thing on the mind of directors. It's about cold hard cash. Unless people stop coming and stop posting their shitty selfies on social media, they don't give a fucking shit about their experience.
That's the benefit of mass tourism. No one comes back, and millions upon millions are ready to fill the spot. Honestly I also have no pitty for the cattle that suffers to see this particular painting. The Louvre has so much amazing stuff, yet these self absorbed morons line up like literal cattle to stand in front of this painting that compared to Leonardo's Body of Work is rather mundane for a few moments. They deserve the misery to fuel their narcissism.
That's the benefit of mass tourism. No one comes back, and millions upon millions are ready to fill the spot. Honestly I also have no pitty for the cattle that suffers to see this particular painting. The Louvre has so much amazing stuff, yet these self absorbed morons line up like literal cattle to stand in front of this painting that compared to Leonardo's Body of Work is rather mundane for a few moments. They deserve the misery to fuel their narcissism.
I feel like this is only an issue for a couple of months a year. I went in the summer when I was a kid and it was crazy but last time I went in September and there were maybe 20-30 people looking at it. It took us a minute or two to get up to the barrier.
This is a non issue for the majority of the year, maybe during the summer they can just implement a system for allowing only a certain number of people into the room like they do at the catacombs.
This is a non issue for the majority of the year, maybe during the summer they can just implement a system for allowing only a certain number of people into the room like they do at the catacombs.
Isn't everything else by him from the same relative time period? And the venus is much older so it's not about the age. And do you judge the quality of everything based on how popular it is? So Justin Bieber must be the greatest person of our time and baby shark is one of the best songs ever made.
Seasonality is still a factor in mass tourism, but not to the extent it was only 2 years ago. The usual "downtimes" are getting shorter and shorter.
You're right but this same problem is all over Paris during July and August but by the end of September until May or June it can be completely dead. It just seems like an article based on the absolute worst time of the year when it is like that everywhere in Paris at that time and again it is like a different world outside of those couple of months.
it's great because it distracts idiots away from the rest of the gallery which is incredible and should be explored slowly and quietly and thoughtfully. go to a part that's out of the way, wander and discover things for yourself. unless you have been studying up on a specific classic masterpiece before and get a real pleasure from finally seeing it you'll be a lot happier doing this than just seeking out the same endlessly reproduced images as everyone else.
most of art seems to be witnessed due to FOMO, oh you went to x and didn't see y, whereas it should be a realationship between viewer and image.
most of art seems to be witnessed due to FOMO, oh you went to x and didn't see y, whereas it should be a realationship between viewer and image.
OP
OP
That was actually a purposeful shot at the people doing it. It's not like massive influencers are taking selfies there, it's just literally everyone else!
Seems like this could be solved by setting the Mona Lisa in a separate room. Creating a line that people walk through to visit. Maybe scheduling a time to sign up to see it online and only certain numbers of people allowed in the room during that certain time, ten minute intervals. I realize the number of people who want to see it are staggering but something could ease this.
I believe the new exhibition featuring his work has the 4 paintings that were outside the room featuring the Mona Lisa, in the hallway on the opposite wall. Last I went you could get pretty close to these other paintings. I was much more impressed by his John the Baptist than what I could see of the Mona Lisa.
I hope the exhibition can shift the attention away from the Mona Lisa a bit.
I hope the exhibition can shift the attention away from the Mona Lisa a bit.
Well yeah, they're not going to write about times when it's a bit less crowded. But the fact remains that the non crowded times are getting shorter and shorter. Museums are having a harder and harder time to actually fulfill their scientific work due to this. Just because it isn't year round, doesn't mean it's not gotten to a point where it does interfere.
OP
OP
My dude, there is plenty of art made every single day, across mediums Da Vinci couldn't have imagined, that is worth experiencing. It is a brilliant painting, one I would relish seeing in person one day, but it is only more valuable than another work in the monetary sense.
Oh my god you responded with the exact gif I was looking for hahaha
If for whatever reason I was at the Louvre, I would take advantage of it by wading through the crowds to take a selfie with the Mona Lisa for social. Sounds fun to me!
But I do agree that it should be moved to a different spot for it to be optimized to be viewed by crowds. Personally I'm surprised that it hasn't been done already!
But I do agree that it should be moved to a different spot for it to be optimized to be viewed by crowds. Personally I'm surprised that it hasn't been done already!
I was at the Louvre just a month ago and yeah it was absolutely packed around the Mona Lisa and basically dead anywhere else. Went to the African art exhibit and there was MAYBE a dozen people. But to echo everyone else yeah everyone was just taking selfies with the painting instead of actually looking at it. One family took like 5 selfies with different formations within the family instead of moving the fuck along, meanwhile me and my wife were moved on after getting to look at it for like 5 seconds.
I was able to visit Paris last March and that was absolutely a great time for tourism. The Mona Lisa gallery hadn't gone through the cattle line revamp discussed in the article and there was only a modest selfie mosh pit directly in front of the barriers by the painting. I was able to walk up to the side of the crowd and admire the painting about as close as you could get for as long as I wanted, simply because it was a bad angle for the selfie brigade.
Meanwhile, in the hallway outside the gallery there was another da Vinci painting just sitting there being completely ignored. Ah well.
Another recommendation for Paris in March: Being able to casually walk around the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and, you know, admire things rather than being packed in like sardines. Things were even better out at the Petit Trianon - walking in the gardens on a cool, drizzly day the only things in view from the 21st Century were my girlfriend and I.
So, for what it's worth, try to enjoy the wonders of Paris in the off-season. And, if you get over to Brussells, you should definitely go say hello to Manneken Pis - or, better yet, the whole trifecta of pissing statues. Disappointing? Bah
Meanwhile, in the hallway outside the gallery there was another da Vinci painting just sitting there being completely ignored. Ah well.
Another recommendation for Paris in March: Being able to casually walk around the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles and, you know, admire things rather than being packed in like sardines. Things were even better out at the Petit Trianon - walking in the gardens on a cool, drizzly day the only things in view from the 21st Century were my girlfriend and I.
So, for what it's worth, try to enjoy the wonders of Paris in the off-season. And, if you get over to Brussells, you should definitely go say hello to Manneken Pis - or, better yet, the whole trifecta of pissing statues. Disappointing? Bah
I can kinda understand selfies but to take a picture of a painting is just stupid. Look it up online at that point.
It's the one Napoleon stole and kept in his bedroom, so basically, yeah
there are so many incredible works of art in that room that get largely ignored because of shitty museum guests.
SERIOUSLY.Its a shame that most people focus too much on the Mona Lisa when the Louvre's best painting (IMO) is at the opposite end of the room (at least back when i visited it). Shit was huge and breathtaking.
When I got to the room with the Mona Lisa, all I could think was "that's it?". This was 2009 so the selfie craze hadn't yet begun so I had a long clean view right on the rail.
Then I turned around and had to sit down in awe.
I was fortunate to visit the Louvre before selfies (or cameras on phones) became a thing, and also at a time when there wasn't a crowd. Had a chance to appreciate the painting, and was surprised at how small it was. Still, the Louvre has so many other magnificent things to look at, that the Mona Lisa doesn't stand out for me in my memories.
I couldn't stand going there now however, unless I was on a private tour or something.
I couldn't stand going there now however, unless I was on a private tour or something.