Part 1: The Louvre visits Tehran

Art bridges cultures…

Art museums often lend each other masterpieces. This year, however, marked a first — a large-scale show by a major Western museum in Iran! The world’s largest museum, the Louvre, proudly calls it, “…an outstanding cultural and diplomatic event for both countries.”

The Louvre contributed fifty masterpieces for “The Louvre at Tehran” to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Iran’s National Museum. Meantime, back in France, The Louvre exhibited, “The Rose Garden: Masterpieces of Persian Art from the 19th Century, on Qajar dynasty Iran.”

Lucky for us, my husband happened to be in Tehran to snap these photos for us. The art spanned centuries. Hover over the pictures for descriptions and click on them to see full-sized.

Assyrian sphynx in Iran via the Louvre

Marcus Aurelius (Roman art around 170AD)

Ottoman Sultan Mustafa II by Levni (Turkey 1700-1720)

Neshor (customs inspector) bearing 3 dieties (Egypt? 589-570BC)

Close-up Thoth (baboon), patron of scribes

Statue of royal scribe Kha (Egypt 1279BC-1213AD) with Thoth (baboon), patron of scribes

Wedding of Greek deities: Thetis and Peleus (Italy 50BC – 50AD)

Assyrian art

Assyrian art

Vicctor Riquetti painted by Joseph Aved (France 1850)

The Dominion of Time Over the World (France 1550-1600) holds Death (ship), Time (hourglass, Fortune (sail)

Assyrian art in Iran via the Louvre

What does art mean to you?

See Part 2: Tehran Visits The Louvre by da-AL to see the contemporary art photos of Abbas Kiarostami, a noted Iranian film producer/director, screenwriter, poet, and photographer.