Louvre Department Heads Hold Dual Internal and National Roles
Maximilien Durand has been reappointed as the head of the Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Arts at the Louvre, as indicated by two decrees from Culture Minister Catherine Pégard. He also oversees the related national heritage department. The Louvre comprises nine significant heritage departments, with current leaders including Ariane Thomas for Near Eastern Antiquities and Cécile Giroire for Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities. The Sculpture department currently lacks a director following Sophie Jugie's exit. Former president Laurence des Cars sought to eliminate automatic renewals for department heads. A specialist in Byzantine art, Durand previously managed the Museum of Textiles and Decorative Arts in Lyon and was assigned in 2022 to establish the new department, which is scheduled to launch in 2028.
Key facts
- Maximilien Durand reappointed head of Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Arts at Louvre.
- Two decrees by Culture Minister Catherine Pégard formalize his renewal.
- Louvre has nine major heritage departments with national advisory roles.
- Current department heads include Ariane Thomas, Cécile Giroire, Hélène Guichard, Olivier Gabet, Souraya Noujaim, Sébastien Allard, Xavier Salmon.
- Sculpture department lacks director since Sophie Jugie's departure.
- Former president Laurence des Cars opposed automatic mandate renewals.
- Durand previously directed museums in Lyon and worked at Christian Dior Couture.
- New department galleries to open in 2028.
- Department covers area from Ethiopia to Russia, from early Christian art to 1923 Treaty of Lausanne.
Entities
Artists
- Maximilien Durand
- Ariane Thomas
- Cécile Giroire
- Hélène Guichard
- Olivier Gabet
- Souraya Noujaim
- Sébastien Allard
- Xavier Salmon
- Sophie Jugie
- Laurence des Cars
- Christophe Leribault
- Catherine Pégard
- Aurélie Filippetti
- Jean-Luc Martinez
Institutions
- Musée du Louvre
- Ministère de la Culture
- Service des musées de France
- Commission scientifique des musées nationaux
- École du Louvre
- École pratique des hautes études
- Patrimoine sans Frontières
- Musée des Arts décoratifs (Paris)
- Musée des Tissus (Lyon)
- Musée des Arts décoratifs de Lyon
- Christian Dior Couture
- Paris Musées
- Catacombes de Paris
- Le Journal des Arts
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Lyon
- Ethiopia
- Russia