If you can’t head to Paris…

Two years ago, Louvre Abu Dhabi celebrated its five-year anniversary and treated fans of Renaissance art with a masterpiece by the one and only, Leonardo da Vinci. Approximately less than 20 surviving paintings are surely attributed to the artist, and if you can’t make it to Europe to see any of them, this is a great opportunity.

But you don’t have a lot of time to see it as the painting is just a loan from Musée du Louvre, and it will be going home this weekend on Sunday, November 3, 2024. You can find it an the museum’s permanent gallery.

Learn more about the masterpiece…

Now we know the Mona Lisa by da Vinci may be synonymous with the Louvre in Paris, but there are other equally famous paintings and Saint John the Baptist is one of them. The painting receives millions of annual visitors in the museum in Paris.

Leonardo da Vinci began painting Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city in the early part of the 16th century in Florence, Italy. John the Baptist, in short, announced the coming of the Messiah in the desert and baptised followers in the Jordan River. He is a major figure in Christianity, but also one of the prophets of Islam.

There are no official records of the masterpiece being commissioned or whether the artist himself chose this subject. Leonardo took a paintbrush to the canvas over the time span of 10 years, be it to add small details to the composition or to feature symbolic elements. However, in spite of this, the painting is partly unfinished as the artist passed away in 1519. It is believed to be his final painting.

Post-Impressionism: Beyond Appearances

While you’re there, make sure you go and see the new exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi featuring works of art from Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne and other impressionist artists.

For van Gogh fans, you will see The Bedroom – a painting much loved by art fans around the world. His other two pieces include Noon: Rest from Work (a personal favourite) and The Restaurant de la Sirène at Asnières. 

You can read more about this exhibition here.

Book your tickets here.

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Images: Louvre and Getty Images