A Moment at the Louvre

An exclusive look into the preparations behind the Naples in Paris exhibition at the Louvre, beautifully captured by the renowned photographer Robert Polidori.

From June 2023 to January 2024, the Musée du Louvre in Paris welcomed sixty major masterpieces from the Museo di Capodimonte, on loan for the exhibition Naples in Paris: The Louvre Hosts the Museo di Capodimonte. The former Italian royal palace, which once served as a hunting lodge for Bourbon monarchs, is now one of the largest museums in Italy holding one of the continent’s most important collections of Italian paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Among the artworks featured are the famously enigmatic Antea by Parmigianino, a poignant painting of the Crucifixion by Masaccio, The Transfiguration of Christ by Giovanni Bellini, and preparatory cartoons by Raphael and Michelangelo.

On the occasion of this historic artistic exchange, acclaimed photographer Robert Polidori was granted exclusive access to the preparations of the exhibition in the Louvre’s prestigious Grand Galerie. Known for his unique images of architecture and interiors, Polidori exquisitely captures the process and inner workings of the arrival, set-up, and display of the artworks. Part photography monograph, part art history book, this unique publication reveals the hidden workings behind one of the most significant collaborative efforts among major museums in recent years.

About the Author:

Robert Polidori is one of the world’s most acclaimed architecture, interiors, and documentary photographers. His work is exhibited in numerous museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Laurence des Cars is the president-director of the Louvre.

Sébastien Allard is the director of the Department of Paintings at the Louvre and the curator of the Naples in Paris exhibition.