A water leak at the Louvre has caused damage to a 19th-century ceiling painting, in the latest setback for the renowned Parisian museum.
Water damage was reported in room 707, also known as the Duchâtel room, late Thursday night. This room houses several significant 15th and 16th-century artworks.
The museum confirmed that the leak, stemming from a heating pipe, was contained shortly after midnight, but not before it affected Charles Meynier's artwork, The Apotheosis of Poussin, Le Sueur and Le Brun.
This incident follows a day after French police detained nine individuals, including two museum staff, linked to a suspected ticket fraud scheme.
Increasing scrutiny surrounds museum management, especially after recent incidents where thieves stole priceless crown jewels during daylight hours and hundreds of valuable books were damaged in a previous leak.
The Louvre reported that the leak occurred at the entrance to the paintings department in the Denon wing, and firefighters acted promptly to address the issue within 40 minutes.
A painting restorer examined Meynier's ceiling painting the following morning and noted two tears and lifted paint layers caused by the water exposure. The painting, completed in 1822, depicts celebrated French artists who are portrayed among angelic figures in a cloud-filled sky.
Rooms 706, 707, and 708 in the Denon wing were initially closed but are anticipated to reopen later in the day.
The chief architect of historic monuments assessed the damage and found no structural problems, though a union representative confirmed that scaffolding was erected in the affected area. The financial cost of the damage remains undefined.
This latest leak mirrors a series of setbacks faced by the Louvre, known as the most visited museum in the world. In December, a significant leak damaged hundreds of items in the museum's Egyptian department, and prior to that, structural deficiencies prompted the partial closing of galleries that housed ancient artifacts.
The Louvre also faced significant security lapses highlighted by a high-profile heist that occurred on October 19, during which four burglars stole historic jewelry worth approximately €88 million. Investigations into the security breaches are ongoing, with many recovered items still unaccounted for.
Following critical assessments from France's public audit body, the Louvre is under pressure to re-evaluate its financial priorities, including its spending on artwork versus essential maintenance and renovation of its buildings.
