This is a properly prestigious collection of art, sculpture and ancient history…

The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a cultural game changer when it opens on Saadiyat Island on Saturday November 11.

We all know about the beautiful, light-dappled Jean Nouvel structure (which is actually 55 separate white buildings), with its ‘concrete beach’ and 180-metre-wide dome that gives off a ‘rain of light’ effect, but what will we actually find inside its walls? 

Image: Mohamed Somji

Well, more than 600 pieces will be on display in the museum at any time (300 of which will likely be loans from French museums), so there will be a lot to take in, here are some of the key pieces that you’ll be able to see from opening day…

ON LOAN

King Ramesses II, Diorite, 1279 – 1213 B.C.E. (19th dynasty), found at Tanis

Image: Musée du Louvre, dist. RMN/Christian Dé camps

La Belle Ferronniè, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495-1499

Image: Musée du Louvre, C2RMF/T. Clot

Self-portrait, Vincent Van Gogh, 1887

Photo: Musée d’Orsay, dist. RMN-Grand Palais/Patrice Schmidt

Number 26 A, Black and White, 1948, Jackson Pollock

Image: Centre Pompidou,MNAM-CCI/Georges Meguerditchian/Dist. RMN-G

Statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash, praying, Circa 2120 B.C. (Neo-sumerian period, Gudea reign, 2125 – 2110 BC), ancient Girsu (Iraq)

Image: 2007 Musée du Louvre – High Museum/Peter Harholdt

IN THE PERMANENT COLLECTION

Funeral set of princess Henuttawy, Egypt, 2nd half of 10th century BCE, beginning of the 22th dynasty

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Thierry Ollivier

The Subjugated Reader, René Magritte, Le Perreux-sur-Marne, France, 1928

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Thierry Ollivier

Bactrian “princess”, Central Asia, end of 3rd beginning of 2nd millennium BCE

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Thierry Ollivier

Portrait of Fayoum, Egypt, Antinoopolis, 225-250 AD

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Thierry Ollivier

Shiva Dancing, Asia, 2nd half of 10th century AD

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Thierry Ollivier

Turban Helmet, Aq-Qoyunlu or Ottoman, 2nd half of 15th century

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi / Thierry Ollivier

Game of Bezique, Gustave Caillebotte, Paris, France, 1880

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Agence Photo F

Children Wrestling, Paul Gauguin, Pont-Aven, France, 1888

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Agence Photo F

A Young Emir Studying, Osman Hamdy Bey, Istanbul, 1878

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Agence Photo F

 

Untitled (I-IX), Cy Twombly, Artist’s studio, Italy, 2008

Image: Louvre Abu Dhabi/Agence Photo F & Cy Twombly Foundation

SOME FAST FACTS ABOUT THE LOUVRE…

– It was born from an agreement between the UAE and France in 2007 (and now, 10 years later, it’s opening – good things take time).

– There are 23 galleries and 12 ‘sequences’.

– There’s also a Children’s Museum, a 200-seater-auditorium, a restaurant, a café and a retail space.

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