Rubens en chantier au Louvre
The Louvre Museum has launched a major four-year restoration project for the monumental 24-canvas 'Cycle of Marie de Médicis' by Peter Paul Rubens. The initiative, funded by the Société des Amis du Louvre with a budget of 4 million euros, aims to restore the works' chromatic power and stabilize their fragile paint layers. The Medici Gallery will close to the public in May, though some stages of the process will be viewable.
This project is significant as it addresses the conservation needs of one of the Louvre's most iconic and historically important Baroque ensembles. The public accessibility of parts of the restoration offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at high-level museum conservation, while the substantial private funding underscores the ongoing role of patron societies in supporting major cultural institutions.