Visitors have a few more days to experience 10,000 Years of Luxury at Louvre Abu Dhabi before the exhibition concludes on 18 February. Following its international acclaim and success in the UAE, the exhibition will travel to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, offering new audiences the opportunity to experience this fascinating exploration of luxury throughout various time periods and cultures. 100 of the show’s objects will be on view at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs from 23 April to 6 September 2020.
The exhibition is organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi, Musée des Arts Décoratifs and Agence France-Muséums, curated by Olivier Gabet, Director of Musée des Arts Décoratifs and sponsored by Tryano, the only luxury department store in Abu Dhabi.
Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, commented: “10,000 Years of Luxury was a landmark event for us this year. The international exhibition was our largest to date and the first presentation on the history of luxury in the Middle East. Exquisitely curated by Olivier Gabet and featuring loans from renowned institutions, 10,000 Years of Luxury speaks to the high calibre of Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exhibitions and our role as an incubator of new ideas. We are delighted that the show’s widespread success has meant another edition has evolved for Paris.”
Open since 30 October 2019, 10,000 Years of Luxury explores the multifaceted nature of luxury from ancient times to the present day. Featuring 350 extraordinary objects from the fields of fashion, jewellery, art, furniture and design, the show looks at the various ways different cultures have interpreted luxury throughout history: from extravagant offerings to the divine, to golden furniture fit for royalty to the iconic couture of luxury fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Cartier, Balenciaga and Hermès. Drawing on the collections of Musée des Arts Décoratifs and other French museums, this exhibition offers a rare chance to revel in and evaluate true luxury.
Among the key artefacts travelling to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is the Abu Dhabi Pearl, the oldest pearl in the world dating back to c. 5,800 – 5,600 BCE. Discovered on Marawah Island, Abu Dhabi in 2017, the pearl is on loan from the collection of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
Lenders to the exhibition include: Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris; Musée du Louvre, Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac; Louvre Abu Dhabi; Zayed National Museum; Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris; La Fondation des Artistes; BACCARAT; Cartier Collection; Direction du patrimoine CHANEL; Collection Chaumet, Paris; Chloé Archive, Paris; Maison Christian Louboutin; Christian Dior Couture; ELIE SAAB; Givenchy; Maison Guerlain; Hermès; Maison Alaïa; Hervé Van der Straeten; HG Timepiece – Switzerland; Mellerio; PIERRE HARDY; Maison Rabih Kayrouz; Maison Schiaparelli; Maison Van Cleef & Arpels; Victoire de Castellane, Fleurs d’excès collection; Studio YMER&MALTA. Scenography of the exhibition is by studio Adrien Gardère.
