Hexperiences: Jacques-Louis David at the Louvre — the blockbuster Paris show that time-travels through Revolution, Empire… and great cheekbones

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If you’ve ever wanted your museum visit to double as a crash course in French history and a style masterclass in togas, the Louvre’s new exhibition “Jacques-Louis David” is your winter Paris must. Mounted for the bicentenary of David’s death, it brings together ~100 works—glorious portraits, feverish revolutionary icons, imperial pomp—reframing the most famous Neoclassicist as an engaged artist whose brush never stopped flirting with power. The show runs 15 Oct 2025 → 26 Jan 2026 in the Hall Napoléon, with combined admission to the Louvre’s collections listed at €22. Book ahead. (Le Louvre)

Why this matters (even if you can’t tell a Horatius from a hot croissant)

David didn’t just paint history—he helped make it. From revolutionary martyrdom (Marat) to imperial spectacle (Coronation of Napoleon), his canvases are the memes of their age: instantly legible, emotionally turbocharged, and politically loaded. This exhibit leans into that tension—idealism vs. opportunism, rigor vs. sensation—showing a David who evolves from radical deputy to Napoleon’s image-maker, yet never loses his eye for human theatre. Expect key loans and freshly restored stars, including self-portraits and era-defining icons, gathered into a rare, big-room rethink. (Le Monde.fr)

Practicals (aka “How not to miss Marat because you were in line for a croissant”)

  • Venue & Dates: Musée du Louvre, Hall Napoléon, 15/10/2025–26/01/2026. (Le Louvre)

  • Tickets: Standard combined ticket €22 (permanent collections + exhibitions). Reserve timed entry online; peak hours sell out. (Le Louvre)

  • Visit time: Plan ~2 hours for the exhibition, then reward yourself with a brisk lap through Denon Wing classics. (Le Louvre)

  • When to go: Weekday mornings or late afternoons; Paris school holidays = busier. (The Hall Napoléon handles crowds well, but your patience may not.)

  • What you’ll see: Around 100 works spanning early Rome years to exile-era Brussels pieces; portraits + history paintings; studies that reveal the showman behind the marble calm. (Le Monde.fr)

Getting there from Aix (because we’re Étranger Things and we plan the train snacks)

  • TGV Méditerranée: Aix-TGV → Paris-Gare de Lyon (~3h40–4h). Then Métro 1 to Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre (direct) or stroll across the Seine like you own the Directory.

  • Bags: Travel light; museum security is strict.

  • Food: Nearby, grab a quick jambon-beurre on rue de Rivoli or duck into the arcades of Palais-Royal for something smugly delicious.

How to look (a little) clever in the galleries

Spot David’s visual tricks: the marble-cool palettes; the architectural framing that turns humans into columns; the way letters, daggers, and drapery act like exclamation points. Compare the political posters baked into the compositions: Oath of the Horatii (Republican virtue), The Death of Marat (Revolutionary martyr), Coronation (imperial myth-making). It’s all propaganda—but with heavenly chiaroscuro. (Le Louvre)

Language-learning minis (A1 → Advanced), curated for you

  • A1: Learn five museum basics: Bonjour, Deux billets pour l’expo David, s’il vous plaît, Où sont les toilettes ?, C’est à quel niveau ?, Merci, bonne visite.

  • A2: Practice a polite opinion: J’ai aimé la lumière et la composition; c’était émouvant sans être trop dramatique.

  • B1: Try a compare-contrast: Chez David, l’héroïsme paraît calme; chez Delacroix, il déborde. On sent la différence de régime et d’esthétique.

  • B2: Craft a mini-review with nuance: L’exposition évite l’hagiographie; elle propose un artiste engagé mais ambigu, pris entre idéal et opportunisme.

  • Advanced: Debate prompt: “La peinture de David est-elle d’abord un outil politique ? Discutez en mobilisant l’iconographie de ‘Marat’ et du ‘Sacre’.” (Bonus points for gently disagreeing with yourself.)

Two smart detours

  • Madame Récamier (Louvre): The unfinished sofa scene that launched a thousand fainting couches—see what restraint can scream.

  • Courtyard break: Step into the Carrousel gardens for air, then re-enter for Venus, Winged Victory, and the smug joy of knowing where the escalators are.

Read / prep before you go

  • Louvre official page with tickets, hours, and the exhibition pitch. (Le Louvre)

  • Backgrounder on Neoclassicism and David’s shock-of-the-new Horatii. (Wikipedia)

  • Recent critics on the show’s “engaged artist” angle and why this is not just a 1989 rerun. (Le Monde.fr)

Quick FAQ

Will the giant masterpieces be there? Many are permanently in the Louvre, and the show weaves them with studies and key loans to tell a bigger story. Expect a strong Marat presence and major Napoleonic context. (Le Monde.fr)
Can I see it without queueing? Timed tickets help. Go early/late, avoid Saturdays if you can. (Le Louvre)
Is it kid-friendly? Yes—talk about symbols: why a letter matters, why hands are so theatrical, why everyone suddenly wears a laurel.

Your turn

Been already? Going soon? What piece surprised you most—Marat’s quiet grief or the jaw-dropping choreography of the Coronation? Drop a mini-review below in English or French. If you’re learning, label your comment A1/A2/B1/B2/Advanced so others can riff with you. Bonus: share your must-eat near the Louvre (we’re always hungry after all that history).

Location: Paris, France

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