Louvre auctions artworks and exclusive experiences for the first time

The Louvre and Christie’s auction house, with the support of Drouot, are teaming up for Bid for the Louvre, aunique online auction whose proceeds will be entirely donated to solidarity and educational projects of the Louvre Museum and to Studio, a new space dedicated to art and cultural education that will open in fall 2021. The auction catalog can be accessed from December 1 to 15, 2020 on Christie’ s and Drouot’s official websites.

For the first time, the Louvre is auctioning off twenty-four exceptional lots: artworks offered by contemporary artists with ties to the museum venue, such as Johan Creten, Candida Höfer, Eva Jospin, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Pierre Soulages, or Xavier Veilhan, exclusive experiences, Louvre-inspired personalization services, or even privileged encounters. Among the experiences offered, some are particularly unique and spectacular, true world premieres, such as the privilege of witnessing the annual examination of the Mona Lisa outside its shrine or even going to the rooftops of the Louvre in the company of artist JR.

Major fashion houses such as Cartier, Christian Dior Couture, Le Meurice, Le Ritz Paris, Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy, and Parfums Christian Dior have strong ties to the Louvre and participated in the selection and design of the lots. Behind every work and experience offered in this auction, the generosity of an artist, partner or patron of the museum is made concrete.

The proceeds from the sales will be used exclusively to fund solidarity projects and in particular the future Studio, an 1150-square-meter space that will be dedicated toart and cultural education, welcoming families, people with disabilities and their companions, and school groups. The activities that will be organized in this new space will aim to familiarize the public with museum and art practices, to elicit new forms of sociability, and to experience the museum in a different way.

Louvre Director Jean-Luc Martinez said, “The artists and fashion houses linked to the Louvre responded immediately to our appeal and I thank them very much. They know that educational and social projects are close to our hearts and are even more necessary in this time of pandemic that affects especially the most fragile people. That is why I wanted the proceeds of this big sale, organized with Christie’s and Drouot to go to them. Generosity will also be directly put to the service of solidarity.”

Louvre auctions artworks and exclusive experiences for the first time

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