[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] For the first time, a female director has been appointed at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, which boasts a history of 228 years.
On the 26th (local time), according to the daily newspaper Le Monde and AFP, the French government announced the appointment of art historian Laurence Decaux (54), who has led the Orsay Museum for four years, as the new director of the Louvre Museum.
Decaux, who will lead the Louvre Museum starting September 1, is the granddaughter of novelist Guy Decaux and the daughter of journalist and writer Jean Decaux.
During her four years as director of the Orsay Museum, Decaux focused on attracting the younger generation, which steadily increased the number of visitors, reaching a record high of 3.7 million in 2019.
She also played a bridging role in returning Gustav Klimt's work "Roses Under the Tree," which was looted by the Nazis during World War II, to an Austrian Jewish family.
Decaux has skillfully addressed socially sensitive issues such as racial discrimination within the realm of art.
In an interview with AFP last month, Decaux stated, "Museum exhibitions must reflect important issues in society," adding, "Only then can we bring in a new generation of visitors from all social and cultural backgrounds."
Opened in 1793, the Louvre Museum boasts the largest exhibition scale in the world and is one of Paris's representative attractions, drawing numerous tourists.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louvre Museum, most famous for exhibiting the Mona Lisa, attracted over 10 million visitors.
Meanwhile, the heads of public museums such as the Louvre Museum, the Orsay Museum, the Palace of Versailles, and the Pompidou Center are appointed by the President of France.
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