Mintimer Shaimiev visits Louvre museum and Palace and Park Ensemble of Versailles

On July 11 Tatarstan delegation led by the State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev visited Louvre museum and Palace and Park Ensemble of Versailles and met with Director of the Department for international cooperation of the Ministry of culture of France Bruno Favel. In the morning members of the delegation visited restoration workshop of Louvre museum and met with Director of the workshop Ms Maria Lavandie.

The Louvre restoration laboratory is the main structure implementing exquisite restoration of art objects, pictures, sculptures, and furniture for 1200 French museums. It is the best restoration workshop in Europe and in the world.

Maria Lavandie paid attention to combination of museum, educational (a special art school is operating in the museum), scientific (research workshops), and restoration activity in Louvre.
Mintimer Shaimiev got acquainted with equipment for analysis of origin, composition of materials, dating and revealing authenticity of art objects.

The delegation also learnt about restoration methods of delicate furniture characteristic of the period of King Louis XIV. In addition, the guests saw finished restoration of Gerome sculpture “Corinth” (1904), the last masterpiece of famous artist and sculptor. The restored picture of Leonardo da Vinci “the Virgin and Child with Saint Anne” was also presented to Mintimer Shaimiev. It is the first picture of Leonardo da Vinci restored in France. Both Gerome’s sculpture and the picture of Leonardo da Vinci have not been shown to the public yet. Members of the Tatarstan delegation were the first to see them after restoration.

The RT State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev also met with Director of the Department for international cooperation of the Ministry of culture of France Bruno Favel. Mr Favel welcomed the delegation on behalf of Government and Ministry of culture of the French Republic.

Palace and Park Ensemble of Versailles was another object to study the French experience. Mintimer Shaimiev met with Director of the Versailles Presidential Cabinet Olivier Josse and chief architect of Palace and Park Ensemble of Versailles Pierre-André Lablaude.

On July 12 the State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev will meet with President of University of Paris-Sorbonne Georges Molinié and attend the Universiade Flame Lighting ceremony.

The State Counselor is accompanied by Adviser to ICCROM Director General Munir Bushnaki, Aide to RT President on social issues, CEO of the Republican Fund for historical and cultural monuments revival Tatyana Larionova, RT Minister of culture Airat Sibagatullin, Chairman of the Russian national committee of world cultural and natural heritage under the RF Commission for UNESCO Igor Makovetsky, Chief of Volga branch of the UNESCO department for preservation of urban planning and architectural monuments Rafael Valeev and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tatarstan in the French Republic Iskander Yusupov.