The Louvre is likely the most incredible building that I have ever seen. Having been there now, I find it comical that the pyramids have become the symbol of the museum when they are little more than the front door (granted, it does make for a beautiful entrance).
Inside the Louvre there is more art than I could have imagined, and a disorienting number of hallways, staircases, rooms, and floors. There was a crazy amount of people crammed in front of the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory. It is rare to see such large groups of people who are genuinely excited about viewing art. The other major thing that I noticed was the stylistic differences between different artistic schools. The distinctive characteristics of each geographic region really come to the fore when you can see them side-by-side. The Louvre really facilitates this by organizing rooms according to not only the artistic medium but also by geography.
The first area of difference that I want to evaluate is within the Louvre's collection of sculpture. The museum houses an incredible amount of classical antiquities and works (i.e. Venus de Milo) but there is also a lot of more modern sculpture from both France and Italy. The differences between these two places are really fascinating and useful for comparative purposes.
Italy: The Louvre has a great collection of Italian sculpture, included several pieces by Michelangelo. By now I've come to understand and appreciate his work a great deal. He is known for his understanding of human anatomy and his ability to translate that understanding into his art. Many of his pieces display a great deal of movement, which places his subject in the kind of contorted position that allows the viewer to appreciate the complexity and power of the human body.
On the other hand there is a beautiful work called, Eros and Psyche, sculpted by Antonio Canova. This piece is a great foil for Michelango's works because it captures a completely different side of beauty and form. Canova's two subjects are beautiful in their purity and in the smoothness of their form. The bodies seem like they are molded out of air, and they have this delicacy that is very effecting. I really fell in love with the story of Eros and Psyche this semester, and it was a profound experience to different artists captured the array of feelings that proceed from the myth.
French: To me the French sculpture took on a more regal and refined look. I did not even know that the French had such a long tradition of sculpture, but their collective work is outstanding. As a whole I think their work takes and refines aspects of Canova's insight. Again my favorite pieces were all Greek and Roman mythology. One sculpture I liked a lot was called "The Runner at Marathon" and showed the Greek bringing news of the great victory. There were several other "Eros and Psyche" motifs, the best being a moving scene of Psyche waking up to find that Eros has left.
Overall the Louvre was far and a way the greatest museum I have ever visited - there are no words to describe the feeling that beautiful art can inspire in the human mind.
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