The Louvre: Fifty Plates in Colour by Paul G. Konody presents a selection of masterpieces from the great Paris museum, once the royal palace of the French kings. Konody’s commentary surveys the painting collections and the building’s transformation from a fortress and royal residence into the foremost gallery of Europe.
The volume connects the history of French monarchy to the artistic patronage that filled the palace with treasures, from the Valois and Bourbon courts to the Napoleonic acquisitions. It is both an art appreciation and a glimpse of royal magnificence preserved in stone and canvas. This free EPUB download retains the descriptive text of the original colour-plate edition.