~:C.C.4.U:~ Moving Mona Lisa: The WWII Story>by Twisted Sifter

 

 

Moving Mona Lisa: The WWII Story Posted: 16 May 2013 09:29 AM PDT Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   Beginning in 1938, the threat of war prompted a large-scale evacuation of France's public art collections. The storage sites chosen for works of art were châteaux, tranquil locations in the heart of the French countryside, far from strategic targets, and thus escaping the imminent danger of bombing. On August 28, 1939, the Mona Lisa left the Louvre and on September 3, as war had been declared, a decision was taken to ensure that all of the most precious works would leave the premises by the end of the day. During the war, Leonardo da Vinci's smiling maiden would move another five times before being brought back safe and sound. It was an unprecedented journey for the world's most famous painting.   Moving the Winged Victory of Samothrace Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   On the Road   Stowed away in several hundred crates; sculptures, decorative objects and 3,690 paintings took to the road. The journey was a logistical feat of packaging and truck loading. The routes of France soon thronged with thirty-seven convoys joining the crowds already leaving the city. The event was also an opportunity to view, often with unprecedented closeness, the museum's most iconic works, suddenly brought down from their pedestals: the Winged Victory of Samothrace before it was sent to the Château de Valençay, the Venus de Milo or the Mona Lisa, which would be moved first to Chambord, then Louvigny, the Abbaye de Loc Dieu, the Musée de Montauban and finally to Montal, with the Louvre's other paintings. Jacques Jaujard, director of the Musées de France at the time, had the unenviable task of supervising the movements of these stored works, continually under threat from the hazards of an encroaching war. [Source: louvre.fr]   Preparing Venus de Milo for transport Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   The [German Occupied] Show Must Go On   The Louvre during the Second World War was still a palace at the heart of a capital having experienced one of the longest and most dramatic occupations in its history. The German authorities, eager to return the city of Paris to a semblance of cultural life, ordered the reopening of the museum in September 1940. This partial opening was merely symbolic, with itineraries indicated in German and many of the galleries and viewing rooms completely empty and abandoned. The signs of war were everywhere: ornamental gardens transformed to grow vegetables, damage caused by nearby bombings, etc. [Source: louvre.fr]   German Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt at the Louvre Photograph by National Library/SAFARA   Name of Rembrandt painting in chalk where the artwork once hanged Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   The Grande Galerie of the Louvre, empty Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   The 'Louvre Sequestration'   During the war, the Nazis plundered works of art from private collections belonging to prominent Jewish families or art dealers. They were meticulously wrapped and protected in preparation for their departure to Germany. This process unfolded in the galleries of the Louvre devoted to Near Eastern antiquities. The area was requisitioned by the Nazis and quickly rendered inaccessible to museum personnel. After the Nazis seized the Jeu de Paume, which would be used as a further repository for looted works of art, the Louvre sequestration nevertheless continued, occasioning a continual to and fro of art works between both museums, with the result being that Jacques Jaujard was unable to prevent the transfer to the Third Reich of the stolen paintings. [Source: louvre.fr]   Cataloging stolen artworks during the Louvre Sequestration Photograph via The German Federal Archives   Loading Peter Paul Rubens' Marie de' Medici cycle series Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   Masterpieces on the Move Photograph by Pierre Jahan/Archives des museés nationaux   Francisco de Goya's Time and the Old Women Photograph via NARA   After the War, a new Louvre, transformed by major renovation work and gradually opened to the public between 1945 and 1947. Thanks to the skills and tenacity of those responsible for safeguarding cultural property, all of the museum's major masterpieces returned to the palace, virtually unscathed.   Sources - The Louvre during the War – Photographs 1938-1947 press release - Liberation.fr: The Louvre during the War - Art Tattler: The Evacuation of the Treasures of the Louvre During World War II - Jean-Marc Fray: The Louvre During the War - Thoughts of a Monuments Man on the 66th Anniversary of D-Day - USA Today: Exhibit reveals how the Louvre kept 'Mona Lisa,' other masterpieces safe during WWII       Revealing the Contents of a 100-year-old Time Capsule       Hiding Air Bases, Factories and Plants in WWII       Soldiers' Engraved Lighters from the Vietnam War

Picture of the Day: The Belted Kingfisher Posted: 15 May 2013 03:09 PM PDT   THE BELTED KINGFISHER   Photograph by HAROLD BEGUN   In this stunning capture by Harold Begun, we see the beautiful Belted Kingfisher perched on a branch. The Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is also depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. The Belted Kingfisher is a stocky, medium-sized bird that measures between 28–35 cm (11–14 in) in length with a wingspan of between 48–58 cm (19–23 in). This kingfisher can weigh from 113 to 178 g (4.0 to 6.3 oz). Adult female averages slightly larger than the adult male. The bird is often seen perched prominently on trees, posts, or other suitable "watchpoints" close to water before plunging in head first after its fish prey. They also eat amphibians, small crustaceans, insects, small mammals and reptiles. [Source: Wikipedia] For more fantastic nature photography (primarily birds and landscapes) be sure to check out Harold Begun's impressive portfolio on 500px.   via Harold Begun on 500px

This is What Happens When a Billionaire Loses a Bet Posted: 15 May 2013 01:35 PM PDT   Back in 2010, billionaire Sir Richard Branson and AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes made a bet. Sir Richard and Tony each wagered their Formula 1 racing teams (then Lotus Racing and Virgin Racing) would finish ahead of each other in their debut season, and that the loser would serve as a female cabin crew on the winner's airline. Tony's team finished two spots above Sir Richard's in the final 2010 rankings and on May 12, 2013, Sir Branson honoured his bet, adorning make-up, a pair of high heels and freshly shaved legs. The event culminated in Sir Branson serving guests on a charity flight from Perth to Kuala Lumpur. Altogether the charity event raised an estimated $200,000 AUD for the Starlight Children's Foundation. A great cause and memorable experience for all of those onboard. [via abioux on Reddit]   1. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     2. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     3. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     4. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     5. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     6. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     7. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     8. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook     9. Photograph via AirAsia on Facebook       Reasons Why Jon Gnarr is the World's Most Interesting Mayor       Man Plants Guitar Shaped Forest in Memory of His Wife       How an Astronaut met Star Trek Alumni from Space

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