Category
Textual or Investigative
Description
The recent break-in at the Musée du Louvre resurrected centuries-old questions having to do with conquest, colonialism, and—above all—culture. The ease with which a group of criminals walked into the Galerie d’Apollon and walked out again with priceless artifacts in tow undercuts one of the primary justifications for the creation of the museum in the first place—that only a nation as civilized as France could safeguard the cultural inheritance of the West. The robbery thus begs the question: if France cannot even do that, why should she be allowed to keep the artwork she acquired through dubious means in the first place? This study traces the rise and fall of the Louvre from 1793 to 1815, covering the tumultuous years between the Reign of Terror and the fall of Emperor Napoleon I, to highlight the continuity of discussion surrounding museums and the ethics of how they are created and operated. During this time, the Louvre grew alongside the First French Republic/Empire, reaping the rewards of her victories on the field of battle. As the priceless artifacts of the Austrian Netherlands, Italian city-states, and German principalities flowed into the halls of the Louvre, several individuals questioned not only the practicality, but also the morality of such plundering. Advocates, on the other hand, defended the acquisitions on the grounds of safety, education, and cultural superiority. The debate over the legality of wartime looting is not unique to Revolutionary France; extending backward to ancient history and forward to the present day, it has intrigued thinkers from Cicero to Martin Luther to Michael Walzer. Thus, utilizing a primary source approach, this investigation seeks to understand the range of legal and ethical issues bound up in the Louvre, the most visible symbol of French superiority.
To Loot or Not to Loot: The Rise and Fall of the Louvre (1793-1815)
Textual or Investigative
The recent break-in at the Musée du Louvre resurrected centuries-old questions having to do with conquest, colonialism, and—above all—culture. The ease with which a group of criminals walked into the Galerie d’Apollon and walked out again with priceless artifacts in tow undercuts one of the primary justifications for the creation of the museum in the first place—that only a nation as civilized as France could safeguard the cultural inheritance of the West. The robbery thus begs the question: if France cannot even do that, why should she be allowed to keep the artwork she acquired through dubious means in the first place? This study traces the rise and fall of the Louvre from 1793 to 1815, covering the tumultuous years between the Reign of Terror and the fall of Emperor Napoleon I, to highlight the continuity of discussion surrounding museums and the ethics of how they are created and operated. During this time, the Louvre grew alongside the First French Republic/Empire, reaping the rewards of her victories on the field of battle. As the priceless artifacts of the Austrian Netherlands, Italian city-states, and German principalities flowed into the halls of the Louvre, several individuals questioned not only the practicality, but also the morality of such plundering. Advocates, on the other hand, defended the acquisitions on the grounds of safety, education, and cultural superiority. The debate over the legality of wartime looting is not unique to Revolutionary France; extending backward to ancient history and forward to the present day, it has intrigued thinkers from Cicero to Martin Luther to Michael Walzer. Thus, utilizing a primary source approach, this investigation seeks to understand the range of legal and ethical issues bound up in the Louvre, the most visible symbol of French superiority.
