The non-renewal of Sébastien Allard confirms the Louvre's metamorphosis

Le non renouvellement de Sébastien Allard confirme la métamorphose du Louvre

Christophe Leribault, the new president of the Louvre, has decided not to renew the contract of Sébastien Allard as director of the painting department, a position Allard held since 2014. This move is part of a broader shift in leadership style and institutional direction under Leribault, who is described as fostering genuine social dialogue and actively participating in meetings, in contrast to his predecessor.

The Louvre’s new director is inheriting a troubled, traumatised museum—can he repair the damage?

Christophe Leribault has been appointed as the new director of the Musée du Louvre, taking over an institution reeling from a major security breach. The theft of the crown jewels in October exposed severe systemic failures, including neglected security upgrades and a management culture criticized as autocratic under his predecessor, Laurence des Cars. The museum has also been plagued by strikes, ticket fraud scandals, and damaging parliamentary reports.

An ecstatic Mary Magdalene for Washington

Une Marie-Madeleine extatique pour Washington

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has acquired Artemisia Gentileschi's painting "Marie-Madeleine en extase" (Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy), dating from around 1625. The work was previously sold at a Sotheby's auction in France in 2014, continuing a trend of important Gentileschi works leaving Europe for American museums.