The Louvre Abu Dhabi welcomes the arrival of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Saint John the Baptist”

Leonardo da Vinci’s St John the Baptist settled in their new temporary home Louvre Abu Dhabimasterpieces of Tuscan Renaissance painters will be on display for the next two years.

The painting, on loan from the Louvre in Paris, was pulled from the prestigious French institution last month. After workers carefully measure to make sure its level is presented, St John the Baptist At the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Monday. The artwork is on display in the museum’s Hall 7, Globalization for the first time, dedicated to the unprecedented cultural exchange that swept the globe between the 1500s and 1700s.

Displayed alongside other works from the era from around the world, the painting is a fitting addition to the model of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ‘Universal Museum’, which its director, Manuel Rabat, said was a tribute to the two countries. “Vivid embodiment” of the relationship between the two Louvre.

“This painting is one of the crown jewels of the Louvre in Paris,” he said. National“Now in Abu Dhabi. Da Vinci was a universal genius, a learned man, an icon of art. He was open to the world and interacted with it, and that’s what’s happening in Saadiyat right now. Abu Dhabi than the Louvre, Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu DhabiThis abraham house and Natural History Museum, all of which show curiosity and openness to the world, but also intelligence and beauty. “

Believed to have been painted between 1513 and 1516, St John the Baptist Probably the best representation of Da Vinci’s chiaroscuro technique (a method of dealing with light and shadow), and a spectacular example of the sfumato, a typical painting mode of the Renaissance, with soft color transitions. The painting was one of Leonardo’s continuing works until his death in France in 1519.

Vincent Delieuvin, curator of 16th-century Italian painting at the Louvre Museum, said the work was the culmination of Leonardo da Vinci’s experiment.

“His time is long,” he told National“He was 67 when he died. He only painted a few pictures, but wanted them to be perfect. During his career he developed an experimental technique called sfumato that allowed for the perfect transition between light and shadow .It brings a vibration to the painting.

“He refined his technique in the last three paintings, which included Mona Lisa and St John the Baptist, The most complex and complex. They showed Leonardo at his best. “

Chiaroscuro also contributes to an unparalleled depiction of biblical themes and, with its use of light and shadow, is ideal for rendering “Messengers of Light and Hope” on canvas, Souraya Noujaim, Director of Science, Curatorial and Collection Management, Louvre Abu Dhabi, tell​​​ National.

“You see the figure, you see this twist of his body, he’s talking to you as an individual,” she said. “It’s important to our narrative. It has a history of the movement and it’s not just about Leonardo da Vinci, it’s what makes it meaningful. Seeing it in Abu Dhabi as a symbol of these exchanges, for us and for the audience It’s a gift.”

The painting arrived at the Louvre Abu Dhabi during its fifth anniversary celebration. And another Leonardo work, portrait of an unknown womanalso known as the beautiful Ferronnierlent to its Abu Dhabi siblings by the Louvre to celebrate its opening in 2017, St John the Baptist Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, said this marks a new chapter in the museum’s mission.

“The arrival of the world-renowned masterpiece, St John the BaptistAs the Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrates its fifth anniversary, it symbolizes our enduring collaboration with our French partners and cements Abu Dhabi’s position as a global cultural hub,” he said.

“In just one month, we will be hosting a series of cultural events in the emirate, including the Abu Dhabi Cultural Summit, Abu Dhabi Arts and, of course, this important milestone celebration at the Louvre Abu Dhabi.

“Over the past five years, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has grown into the Arab world’s flagship museum, and now, visitors from home and abroad, have one more reason to visit the museum and admire a magnificent piece of art that captures extraordinary moments. in history.”

Rabate echoed this sentiment, saying: “In the past five years, we have opened and received over 3 million visitors. This includes years of travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We have established the first in the Arab world. A universal museum. A model truly rooted in its territory, Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Arab world.

“You’ll see how the seven emirates are represented, loans from Saudi Arabia and Oman. There will be new loans and shows that continue to tell this universal story.

“We will continue to elevate the innovative visitor experience and become an educational hub. We are here to help develop a new generation of museum specialists. This is very important and will grow again and again in the future.”

Scroll through images of Louvre Abu Dhabi Impressionist Exhibition the following

Updated: November 7, 2022 3:13 PM