When you think of museums abroad, where do you think of?
Or, to narrow the scope a bit more, what would you say of a French museum?
Many people would probably answer, "The Louvre.
Today I would like to talk about the Louvre.
The Louvre Museum...with the Mona Lisa at the top of the list, the Code of Hammurabi, the Venus de Milo, and many other famous works are on display, as if they were the best in the world.
My favorite work among them is the "Nike of Samothrace," as the title suggests.
It is famous as the original logo of the sports manufacturer NIKE.
In Greek mythology, she is considered to be the "goddess of victory" and is said to represent her descent from the sky to the bow of a ship.
What can I say about the emotion I felt when I saw it?
There was a splendor that my vocabulary cannot even begin to describe.
The Nike of Samothrace does not have a head and two arms.
I think these parts are important for expression, but despite the absence of these parts, it is full of dynamism.
In fact, the absence of these parts may be the reason why it attracts people.
The place where this nike is exhibited is also beautiful, standing comfortably at the end of a spacious hall.
It is displayed a little higher than the surrounding area, and when viewed from the bottom of the stairs, it looks as if it has just landed on the ground, which is overwhelming.
I felt that the exhibition was not just a display, but was calculated in many ways.
Also, perhaps because there are so many exhibits that the Louvre is said to be "impossible to see in one day," even paintings by quite famous artists are sometimes lost among many other paintings.
The Mona Lisa, however, is exceptional.
There is always a crowd and it is not easy to get close to her smiling face.
Even so, if you somehow manage to get close to her, she is protected by reinforced glass and an announcement in the language of each country, "Be careful of pickpockets" (of course, there is also Japanese).
This is a little unthinkable in Japan, but different countries have different circumstances.
I think it is one of the charms of traveling to learn about such things.
By the way, I liked the zone where many sculptures are exhibited.
Why this pose?
There are many sculptures that make you think so.
And even if you think about it, you can't figure it out.
I am sure that you will be wondering like me.
Nowadays, it is difficult to travel because of the weak yen, but I would like to visit this museum again someday.