Un nouveau Roubiliac entre au Louvre
The Musée du Louvre has acquired a bronze bust of the poet Alexander Pope by the 18th-century sculptor Louis François Roubiliac. The work was purchased via private treaty through Sotheby’s after failing to find a buyer during the Manny Davidson collection sale, despite an estimate of €60,000 to €80,000. This acquisition strengthens the museum’s modest but significant collection of non-French European sculpture and is expected to go on public display in the coming weeks.
This purchase serves as a strategic signal of stability for the Louvre following a period of institutional turbulence, including a high-profile burglary and criticism from the Cour des Comptes regarding its acquisition policies. By securing this piece alongside several recent preemptions, the museum demonstrates a renewed commitment to the art market and its mission to expand its foreign sculpture holdings under the leadership of its administration.