The Louvre All the paintings

This complete catalogue of all the paintings in the Louvre gives an impressive look into what is arguably one of the most important collections in the world. Together with the esteemed photographer Lessing, Pomarede, the general curator/director of the Louvre's Paintings Department, and art historian Grebe present every painting in the permanent collection as well as those on temporary display--3,022 works in total. Each piece is accompanied by a beautiful color reproduction and a listing of name, date, size, material, location in the museum, and the Louvre inventory number. The catalogue as a whole is arranged into four schools--Italian, Northern, French, and Spanish, within which paintings are organized chronologically.In today's digital age, some may question the purpose of such a print catalogue. Indeed, the Louvre has compiled its own freely accessible online database, the Louvre Atlas Database of Exhibits (CH, Feb'10, 47-2917), which includes all exhibited works in the collection. However, this print catalogue gives readers of all levels and all educational backgrounds a more informative and intimate view of the Louvre's formidable painting collection, including works in storage. At the beginning of each school section, an introductory essay by Pomarede gives fascinating insights into the history and development of each collection. Additionally, over 400 paintings are discussed with art historical nuance and depth, highlighting not only any allegorical content of a painting, but also its place within the artist's own oeuvre, its provenance, its technical genius, and its relevant sociohistorical framework. Supplementing this catalogue is a DVD-ROM that includes thumbnails of each painting, with a selected few that can be enlarged. The pieces are searchable (basic and advanced search), or browsable by collection, artist, or room. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. S. M. Quimby State University of New York at Cortland

A massive effort by Lessing (contributor, Magnum Photos), Pomarede (general curator & director, painting, Louvre), and Grebe (art history, Erlangen-Nuremberg Univ., Germany), among others, has produced this official record of the more than 3000 paintings in the Louvre. Divided into the four major collections of the museum-Italian, Northern, Spanish, and French schools-then organized chronologically according to painters' birth dates, the catalog highlights 400 works of greatest significance and popularity. All the entries include excellent color photographs, the title of work and its date, the artist's name and dates, medium, size, catalog number, and the painting's location in the Louvre (at least, at the time of printing). Nothing can replace a trip to the Louvre itself, but this is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to learn more about individual paintings and the collection as a whole. The scholarly essays, illustrations, and works of art themselves speak to the reader of a world of beauty and intellectual delight. VERDICT This volume belongs on all shelves. A major contribution to the literature of catalogs of great museum collections.-Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.