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Detailed description :The Ceiling

The Ceiling

Un plafond pour le Louvre

Under the direction of Marie-Laure  Bernadac

Interview with Marie-Laure  Bernadac, Cy Twombly

Texts by Guillaume Fonkenell, Richard Leeman

€ 29.40 tax included

An immense blue sky, dotted with floating spheres and inscribed with the names of illustrious Greek sculptors, now decorates the ceiling of the Salle des Bronzes Antiques, the prestigious upper room situated in the oldest section of the palace. Today it contains more than a thousand bronzes and close to one hundred pieces of jewelry, evidence of the wealth of the Greek, Italic, and Roman cultures from the 9th century BC to the 6th century AD. The ceiling painted by Cy Twombly is the third commission for a permanent work offered to a contemporary artist, following Anselm Kiefer and François Morellet. What is surprising about this monumental work covering almost 400 sq.m is the unprecedented approach taken by the artist. Known for his painting-writing style with its nervous graphic elements and splashes of vibrant color, Cy Twombly has adapted himself to the site without imposing upon it, respecting the Zen qualities of detachment, lightness, and permanence that suffuse his work.

Technical details

Bilingual French/English edition.

80 pages, hardcover, foldout,

17.5 × 24.5 cm, 40 illustrations.

Distribution: Volumen

Work made possible through the generosity of the Janet Wolfson de Botton Foundation.

With the support of the Gagosian Gallery.

ISBN French978-2-84105-253-0