Mona Lisa returned to her usual place in the Louvre Museum on Monday, in a refreshed and redesigned room to allow a better flow of visitors, the museum announced.
After two months of renovation, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, that millions of tourists worldwide come to see, is again set opposite the largest painting in the museum, the Wedding at Cana by Veronese.
The Tuscan masterpiece was transported privately with the greatest caution from the Medici Gallery, where it had been placed during the renovation project.
Mona Lisa will be visible as early as today behind more transparent glass in its usual place.
There were several objectives in the renovation: better visibility of the masterpiece, more suitable written explanations, a redesigned circulation circuit, better lighting, walls painted a dark blue colour that give more depth to the works in this room that houses not only the Mona Lisa but other masterpieces, including Venetian sixteenth century works.
The Hall des Etats had not been renovated for fifteen years, during which it hosted more than one hundred million visitors, in not always pleasant visiting conditions on peak days.
Mona Lisa is the icon of the world’s largest museum, so much so that often tourists from distant countries do not even think to admire other masterpieces, regrets the Louvre.
During the large Leonardo da Vinci exhibition — debuting end of October — Mona Lisa will be in her usual place.
The Brussels Times
