The Musée du Louvre extends its warmest thanks to its patrons for the vital support they have provided for the creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art

The Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, scheduled to open in 2028, will present the public with a new narrative that helps connect the worlds of Islamic art and Roman antiquities. Visitors will be invited to admire, better identify and understand masterpieces of Byzantine art, from the origins of the Christian image to the early 20 ^th century. Located in the Denon wing, the Byzantine trail will span 2,200 square metres of fully refurbished architectural spaces, also benefiting from upgraded technical installations. It will feature an ambitious exhibition design entrusted to WHY-BGC, a French-American consortium led by architect Kulapat Yantrasast.

To endow this project with the scope it deserves, the Musée du Louvre has rallied a community of committed patrons. To date, their contributions total 42 million euros. The campaign is ongoing, and other patrons are invited to participate.

The Musée du Louvre would like to extend its sincere thanks to all of the patrons who have provided generous support for the project: Mutuelles d’assurances AXA, The CMA CGM Group, The A. G. Leventis Foundation, The Giorgi Family Foundation, Château Margaux, Chalhoub Group, Mr. Philippe Jabre, The Rutherfoord Foundation, Mrs. Genie Adrianopoulos, and all of the patrons who wish to remain anonymous.

The Musée du Louvre extends its warmest thanks to the Société des Amis du Louvre and the American Friends of the Louvre for their loyal and ongoing support.

Lastly, the Musée du Louvre offers sincere thanks to Mr. Samir Assaf, who has played a key role in the creation of this community of patrons.

FOUNDING PATRON

Mutuelles d’assurances AXA has provided support to the Musée du Louvre as founding patron for the creation of a new department dedicated to the protection and transmission of heritage – particularly heritage under threat. This long-standing partnership perpetuates the strong commitment of the AXA Group, which has been a loyal patron of the museum for over twenty years. This project illustrates the shared ambition of working for the protection, dissemination and transmission of culture to as many people as possible.

’We are pleased to partner with the Louvre for this rare and exceptional event: the creation of this new department. The protection and transmission of heritage, especially when it is threatened, is at the heart of our purpose: “Acting for human progress by protecting what matters”. It was therefore natural for us to support this project which will offer a privileged access to an essential and little-known part of our universal culture within the largest museum in the world,’ states Thomas Buberl, Chief Executive Officer of the AXA Group.

’The Louvre and Mutuelles d’assurances AXA share the common values of protecting, disseminating and transmitting to present and future generations. Our strong and exceptional commitment reinforces this common DNA, and we are proud to participate in this new major cultural project, which is part of our patronage policy. We will be keen to promote it to many audiences,’ adds Philippe Guérand, Chairman of Mutuelles d’assurances AXA.

MAJOR PATRONS

CMA CGM Group is the first corporate patron to have committed its support to the Musée du Louvre for the creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art. Its generous support is contributing to the development of the Louvre’s ninth and newest department, which aims to study and bring together over 20,000 works spanning the origins of the Christian image to the 20th century.

As a French group present in 177 countries, CMA CGM undertakes action to support heritage preservation. Through this, it contributes to the promotion of international, national and regional heritage and its transmission to future generations.

’Supporting the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art is a clear priority for our Group. Deeply attached to our Mediterranean roots, our wish is to sustain and share a heritage that connects cultures, peoples and eras. This patronage is in keeping with our long-term commitment to the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage,’ states Tanya Saadé Zeenny, Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group.

The A. G. Leventis Foundation embodies the vision of Cypriot entrepreneur Anastasios G. Leventis, who lived in Paris and served as Cyprus’ Honorary Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. Now in its fifth decade, the Foundation continues to advance Hellenic culture and Greek studies, recognising Byzantine art as a vital bridge connecting the ancient and modern worlds and highlighting its enduring relevance. In this spirit and having partnered with the Louvre for over three decades, the Foundation proudly supports the creation of the new Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art.

Founded in 2013, The Giorgi Family Foundation focuses on Christian and family values and is dedicated to advancing cultural excellence and preserving artistic heritage for future generations. Its commitment to the Louvre reflects a long-standing belief in the power of art to foster dialogue, education, and shared humanity. Through this partnership, the Foundation is proud to support the Musée du Louvre’s historic creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, an initiative that closely aligns with its mission.

Per Mr. Peter Giorgi, supporting the Louvre naturally extends the family’s belief that art and culture are essential to understanding the world and one another. This project strengthens cultural education, broadens access to major artistic traditions, and reflects the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to institutions and initiatives that promote Byzantine art and its related histories.

PATRONS

For many years, Château Margaux has been supporting Louvre projects relating to treasures of ancient Greece, reflecting the roots of the family that owns the wine estate. Château Margaux is pleased to accompany the creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art. This patronage continues its commitment to preserving and transmitting essential heritage, the awareness of which sheds light on history and fosters cross-cultural dialogue.

For seventy years, Chalhoub Group has held firm in its belief in the power of art to build cultural bridges and nurture human progress. Driven by the desire to transmit, we are passionately committed to assisting the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art at the Louvre. Through our support, we wish to celebrate the richness of Byzantine and Eastern Christian civilisations. In doing so, we pay tribute to a vibrant heritage that sparks dialogue between civilisations and showcases French cultural excellence, an endless source of inspiration and knowledge.

A financier, philanthropist and patron, Philippe Jabre is supporting the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art to sustain shared memory. His vast collection of Orientalist works, many by Western painters who travelled in Lebanon, has attuned him to these intertwined narratives. ’In this department, I see heritage of rare human and aesthetic intensity. Contributing to its creation is a way of affirming an essential aspect of our identity as Eastern Christians.’ This commitment furthers the cultural activity of the Association Philippe Jabre.

As a member of the International Council of the Louvre of American Friends of the Louvre, the Rutherfoord family has been providing a valuable support to the museum for several years.

’As Virginians, home of many of America’s founding fathers, my husband and I feel deep gratitude for France’s support in America’s successful quest for freedom. Since the French Revolution, the Louvre has been the foundation of French culture. The Rutherfoord Foundation is honoured to support the creation of the department dedicated to Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art. To participate in the dissemination of knowledge and culture to the world through a timeless institution like the Louvre during the brilliant leadership of Mrs Laurence des Cars has become a high priority for our foundation’s work’, states Jeannie Rutherfoord.

THE DEPARTMENT OF BYZANTINE AND EASTERN CHRISTIAN ART

A museum with a universal mission, the Louvre is home to nine curatorial departments, the most recent of which is dedicated to Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, and is scheduled to open to visitors in 2028.

The new department aims to bring together over 20,000 works, spanning the origins of the Christian image through the early 20 ^th century, and covering a geographical range extending from Ethiopia to Russia via the Balkans, the Levant, and Mesopotamia. The creation of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art is an opportunity to highlight the richness of those civilisations with a broader approach than permitted by the current divisions of the Musée du Louvre. In the fully refurbished spaces of the Denon wing, the Byzantine trail will span 2,200 square metres, connecting with the Roman trail and the renewed presentation of the Department of Islamic Art. Featuring fresh interpretive tools and exhibition design, the department will provide audiences with all of the historical keys to this geographical and cultural area.