La Ville Louvre Review

• 31st May 2011

Even for non-art lovers the Louvre is a must for any tourist who visits Paris. Its long queues, expensive entrance prices and the fact that it employs over 1,000 people are testament to this. Its immense size means that it’s almost a city in its own right with underground catacombs, storage rooms and workshops and offices housing priceless works of art, paintings and sculpture spanning Ancient Greece and Rome up to the 19^th century. Hence the title (Louvre City in English) of Nicolas Philibert’s rambling documentary as he follows those workers who maintain its vast facilities.

Philibert’s film follows the installation of the galleries after its major re-hang in the 80s (the film was made in 1990) and the result is a rather pretentious and dull look at the re-hang from the art handlers to the curators and restorers. It has zilch to keep the viewer enthralled and at 85 minutes moves at a pace that would cure any insomniac. There’s nothing to sustain it for such a length; even for someone like me who studied Art History and has worked in museums for the past 16 years it was tedious experience.

Released by Artificial Eye, whose motivation to release films is clearly not a commercial one judging by their backcatalogue, this film really is only for an edified few.

Chris Hick