Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi Shows Links Between Cultures

 

On November 11, the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum will open in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The museum is part of a project designed to appeal to millions of visitors every year.

The waterfront museum will hold hundreds of pieces of art representing ancient and modern times around the world. It will include Middle Eastern objects and paintings, as well as works¹ by Western artists.

The Louvre in Paris, France is one of the most famous museums in the world. In 2007, France agreed to take part in a joint² project to open an art museum in Abu Dhabi. French officials say the collection does not face any restrictions³.

Jean-Francois Charnier is the scientific director of Agence France-Museums. He said the museum organizers had complete freedom in making decisions about the art to present.

"You have nude⁴ statues in the museum, contemporary paintings. You also have religious images from all religions," he said.

The works will represent major periods of human development and will show connections between different cultures, Charnier said.

"The objective," he said, "is to show that in history there are more links and bridges than walls."

The museum has major pieces of art including a 15th century painting by Giovanni Bellini and a 19th century painting by Osama Hamdy Bey.

The museum also has a 3000-year-old Egyptian funeral set.

Famed French architect Jean Nouvel designed the museum. It is almost 100,000 square meters in size. It includes a series of white buildings under a huge, rounded steel top. The steel is cut in numerous⁵ places and shapes to let in daylight and produce beautiful shadows.

French Culture Minister Francoise Nyssen spoke⁶ at a news conference in which the museum opening was announced.

"At a time when some forces are attacking history by destroying work, taking our heritage⁷ hostage⁸, this is an essential act," she said. "It is civilization responding to barbarity."

I'm John Russell.

Words in This Story

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

nude – adj. of or involving people who have no clothes on

contemporary – adj. : existing or happening in the same time period : from the same time period

shadow – n. a dark shape that appears on a surface when someone or something moves between the surface and a source of light

heritage – n. the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation — usually singular⁹

respond – v. to do something as a reaction to something that has happened or been done

barbarity – n. extreme cruelty : a very cruel and violent quality

1 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

2 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 nude   

adj.裸体的；n.裸体者，裸体艺术品

参考例句：

• It's a painting of the Duchess of Alba in the nude.这是一幅阿尔巴公爵夫人的裸体肖像画。
• She doesn't like nude swimming.她不喜欢裸泳。

5 numerous   

adj.为数众多的；极多的

参考例句：

• There have been numerous exchanges of views between the two governments.两国政府间曾多次交换意见。
• There are numerous people in the square. 有许多人在广场上。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

8 hostage   

n.人质，抵押品

参考例句：

• One group claimed to have executed the American hostage.一个组织声称已经处决了那名美国人质。
• Have you read the article about the rescue of the hostage?你看了关于营救人质的文章了吗？

9 singular   

adj.个人的，单数的，独一的，唯一的，非凡的；n.单数

参考例句：

• The young man has a singular ear for music.这个年轻人对音乐有非凡的欣赏力。
• The noun is in the singular.这个名词是单数形式。