According to today's WSJ, the Mona Lisa will be off display that day while being installed in a "freshly renovated room"

Plan accordingly

really useful post, thanks on behalf of everyone

I'm already feeling sorry for the disappointed tourists on that day who may leave the Louvre for their last day (or only day) in Paris.

You'd think they could relocate it on the following day which is a Tuesday, a day they are closed anyway.

But it would probably be a very good day to go to the Louvre to see the other works. A lot less crowds.

It's possible that they need two days to complete the installation. One'd think -- it's just a painting. They can't take that long. But maybe they want to check on it on Tuesday. We don't really know. The wood was found to be warped and the painting is 600 years old. I don't think that it's a matter of moving this from one place to another -- I mean, it's one of the most precious paintings in the world -- so perhaps extra care was deemed necessary.

But then, well, it sounds like they botched their temporary move (which resulted in the warping) anyway.

they should have free entrance that day.

According to theWSJ, theMona Lisa wil be moved on Monday.."behind closed doors" . On tuesday, with the museum closed, there will be a dedication atttended by french officials.

She is going back to her old room which has been renovated with new lighitng and better "crowd flow".

It would suck if that were someone's only day to go to the louvre.

well so much for being spontaneous in paris and playing it by ear

some itiniery planning with the louvre.fr site would avoid this dissapointment, however i must add that in true french tradition the part mentioning the mona lisa closure is only in french although the part handling ticket sales is bilingual.

I remember somebody posted a trip report complaining why the famous paintings are spread all over museums, why don't they put all in one room so the tourists can see them easily.

Did they finally listen, that's why they are moving her to a new location

Don't be fooled, it's part of a coverup by the Vatican in an attempt to eliminate the Priory of Sion by concealing Sauniere's murder!!

I heard through the grapevine that they would also like to run some quick tests on it (x-rays, etc.) to see if there is some wear and tear or whatever not visible to the naked eye. It hasn't been examined for a long time due to the pressures to keep it on display.

we were planning to visit the louvre on sunday, april 3 (first sundays are free, right?)--will she be up on that day? i couldn't access the WSJ article without membership and i don't read french enough to sort through the louvre website. anyone know? any speculations about whether that room will be P-A-C-K-E-D because it's a free day and because (gasp!) she WON'T be available the next day?

The Louvre has this information:

"Mona Lisa is on view until 3 April 2005 in the Salle Rosa. Exceptionally she will be not on view on 4 April 2005. You can visit her from 6 April in the afternoon in the New Salle des Etats."

(The French version is a little more precise -- it says that the painting is on view starting at 14h on 6 April.)

For anyone who will be visiting that day and be unable to see the Mona Lisa, it's no big problem. You can buy a postcard of it in the gift shop. It's much easier to see it that way, anyhow.


(note: tongue firmly in place in right cheek)

On our fist visit to Paris the Louvre was closed due to strikes! Now we know this is quite common and take it in stride with each visit! I thought I would die if I did not see the Mona Lisa but instead I lived to make several more trips to see the painting! I remember setting outside the Louvre and wanting to cry because I could not get inside! Funny to think about now but not at the time.

Too funny Patrick. I just have to see this painting someday. A very well-traveled art professor once told me it was the painting that had made the most lasting impression on him of all. He said some artsy things about the technique being new at the time, but he said it is so haunting, that she "calls to you from across the room" and that her expression "has to be seen to be fully appreciated". wow!

Patrick: The first time I saw Mona was in 1967......it wasn`t the "art" of it that stayed with me, it was the SIZE. I agree with you......a postcard is better. I`ve seen more rewarding art in other areas of the Louvre.

I like to collect postcards (well I'm too poor to own the real thing), but more and more I realize that postcard reproductions can be very poor reflections of the actual painting.

The problems are obvious. The painting is almost three-dimensional -- you can't reproduce the exact colors (the darkness/brightness) and also the precise brush strokes in a postcard.

And also the actual size is not reproducible.

In the case of Mona Lisa, for example, the painting itself is not that big, but it has a slightly yellowish color (from the deteriorating varnish, I think) that is not really captured by postcard reproductions.

Well, everyone is different, and I hesitate to even post this but.....here goes. I have never been able to understand the "charm" of the Mona Lisa. Give me a Monet anytime. I did see the Mona Lisa, didn't go really especially to see that painting, but heck we were in the Louvre anyway, and I was just totally underwhelmed. From MY ingnorant view point, if you can't see the Mona Lisa the day you want to hit the Louvre, you haven't really missed much. I just don't know what it has that makes it what it is.

i cant really agree you need to see the the real thing to appreciate this artwork.

it is behind a pane of darkened glass
so you cant see the true colors or fine detail and you cant get close or stay for more than a few moments.

on the other hand you can quite cheaply buy an enlarged poster and study it with a magnifying glass to your hearts delight. her eyes move whether you stare at her at the louvre or on your computer monitor.

An update on Mona Lisa's new room:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/06/ar...isa.html?8hpib

She did have a thorough "health check" while off display and apparently the old girl is in good shape. Looking forward to the first Fodorite report of how the painting looks in the new display.