Louvre It or Lose It Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wolf Hunting

The word Louvre is derived from the Latin word "lupus". The Louvre Palace was originally a fortress to defend Paris from the British during the various wars Britain and France fought. However, it was also used a wolf hunting den.

Much of the original Louvre is no longer in existence, though parts of it can be seen in the basement of the museum. The building in use today was built originally in the 16th century and received many additions and expansions since then. By the 14th century, the Louvre became a royal palace.

Answer: False

The French have held the "Mona Lisa" since soon after its completion in 1517. Leonardo da Vinci died in 1519 and it is not exactly clear what became of the "Mona Lisa" during that time. The Louvre lists the painting as being in possession of King Francis I since 1518, while other accounts claim a student of da Vinci's, Salai, held the painting until his death in 1524. Either way, the French have owned the "Mona Lisa" for at least 250 years before the French Revolution.

It was after the French Revolution that the "Mona Lisa" was displayed in the Louvre. Prior to that it was housed in the Palace of Fontainebleau and the Palace of Versailles. Since the late 18th century, the "Mona Lisa" has been housed in the Louvre with the exception of when it is out on tour and when Napoleon had the painting displayed in his bedroom for a period of time.

Answer: I.M. Pei

The Louvre Pyramid is one of the most recognizable items at the Louvre. It is the museum's main entrance and surrounded by three smaller pyramids. I.M. Pei was selected to design the pyramid at the request of French President Francois Mitterand. The pyramid generated so much attraction that an additional lobby had to be built to handle the influx of people wanting to enter that way.

Answer: Antonio Canova

Antonio Canova was an Italian marble sculptor whose works typically included subjects from Ancient Rome. "Psyche Revived by Cupid" is a story from "Metamorphoses", an ancient Latin novel. In this story, Cupid and Psyche are lovers with Cupid having awakened Psyche with a kiss. A smaller version of this sculpture, also by Canova, is displayed in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Answer: Lens

The Louvre-Lens is much smaller than the main museum. It opened in 2012 and was built primarily to ease the huge crowds in the Parisian museums. Lens was chosen because there was a lot of abandoned buildings in the city which was once dominated by industry and manufacturing.

The collection at the Louvre-Lens is just as varied as its Parisian counterpart which items dating back to antiquity and nearly every era since. There is also another Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Answer: It is the only complete map of an ancient sky created before modern astronomy

The Dendera Zodiac was one part of the ceiling of the Hathor Temple of Osiris in Egypt. It was sawed out and brought to Paris in 1821. Decades earlier, Napoleon has seen the Dendera Zodiac while on his conquest of North Africa and immediately fell in love with it, so legend dictates.

It is the only known complete circular map of the sky as created by ancient Egyptians still known to be in existence. The Dendera Zodiac is also the basis for some aspects of modern astronomy, such as eclipses which were predicted on the map. It is unknown what year the zodiac was made or what year it maps.

The Louvre's ownership of the Dendera Zodiac is the subject of controversy because the Egyptian government claims it belongs to the Egyptians. The Louvre has refused to return it to the Egyptians because the French claim it was legally brought to France and not stolen. The Louvre has returned a number of pieces to various countries, including Egypt, over the years. Notably, the Louvre returned thousands of pieces of art stolen from Holocaust victims. The museum still is in possession of hundreds of stolen artworks from that time.

Answer: A shopping mall

The Carrousel du Louvre is a large shopping mall that is not owned or operated by the Louvre, despite popular belief. It was home to the first Apple store in France but more famously home to the inverted pyramid popularized in "The Da Vinci Code". Some of the old wall from the original Louvre can be found here as well.

Answer: "The Last Judgement" by Michelangelo

"The Last Judgement" is painted on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, not in the Louvre.

"Winged Victory of Samothrace" is an ancient Greek sculpture dating back to the 2nd century B.C. It is unknown who the sculpture is but generally Pythocritus is credited for it. It depicts the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.

The sculptor of "Venus de Milo" is also unknown. It is also called "Aphrodite of Milo". It is famous for its missing arms, which were missing when the statue was discovered.

"Liberty Leading the People" is a famous painting by Eugene Delacroix. It depicts Liberty as a woman (the French call her Marianne) leading her people to victory during the French Revolution. She can be seen carrying the French flag.

Answer: They were moved and hidden elsewhere

As early as 1939, France feared a German invasion and that the Germans would loot the Louvre. The French moved the most famous paintings to the Chateau de Chambord (pictured). The other items stayed in place for a few more years until it was clear Germany would invade. The remaining pieces were sent to Chateau de Valencay. Some of the heaviest items that could not be transported were moved to the basement. The items returned to the Louvre almost immediately after France was liberated.

The efforts to preserve the art were not totally successful. Over a hundred thousand pieces of art were stolen and only about half have been recovered since.

Answer: True

Napoleon is one of the most notorious art looters in history. Many of his spoilers were given to the Louvre, though many of them were returned to their owners after Napoleon's downfall or sent to other museums, specifically the British Museum.