Valencian Isabel Bonora is the curator. LouvreThe most visited museum in the world. He is especially active in the Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section.
How is your work at the Louvre?
My daily work consists of two main aspects of heritage preservation. On the one hand, its management (inventory, preventive and therapeutic conservation, restoration, granting loans to national and international museums, researcher acceptance, enrichment of the collection), on the other hand, its valuation (exhibition curation, publication of the collection, teaching and creation of research projects). The first direction, which is the most invisible, takes up most of my time. The latter, which is much more attractive, is the best known to the public. I am passionate about my work and hope to contribute to the preservation of heritage, with the concern for future generations above all.
It is part of the Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section. What jewels do you work with?
I am the curator responsible for the collection of Greek and Roman bronzes in the department. The name includes a wide variety of objects, from jewellery (of gold and precious stones), gold and silver work (mostly silver), large bronze sculptures such as the extraordinary ‘Apollo de Lillebonne’ statue, as well as objects from everyday life. medical instruments, religious and ritual gifts, household furniture (plates or oil lamps), weapons, gladiator suits, etc. Collection, BC. It covers the chronology between 2,000 and the 5th century AD and comes from evocative places such as Delos, Pompeii, Herculaneum… It is one of the most important collections in Europe and for me every object is a real jewel.
How did you come to one of the world’s leading museums?
My journey was unconventional. I started my education at Valencia Polytechnic University Industrial Engineering School. But with some trepidation, I wouldn’t deny it, so I decided to change course and do what I’ve always loved, to study Archeology. After four years at the Faculty of Geography and History in Valencia, I wanted to experience abroad and won an Erasmus scholarship. At first my destination was going to be Venice, but I decided to change it to Paris. I went to experience this without speaking a word of French, and it was a wonderful year, though not always easy. After spending two years here, I was accepted to the Louvre by doing an internship for a few months. The practice evolved into short-term contracts that I combined with other research and teaching experiences at the university. A few years later they offered me a stable contract, and in the end, as guardian of the goods, I appealed to the opposition and won. It was a gradual, unpredictable, difficult and happy ending road.
The ‘Gioconda’ is the museum’s biggest attraction. What unknown treasure does the museum hide?
That’s right, ‘Mona Lisa’ is by far the biggest claim. However, there are many treasures in the museum. Each section (paintings, sculptures, Egyptian archaeology, oriental archaeology…) preserves and showcases an extraordinary heritage, both in terms of artistic quality and the history in which the artifacts were discovered or acquired. The Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities section also contains well-known treasures. ‘Venus de Milo’ or ‘Triumph of Samothrace’, but the best for me are the more modest ones, such as the recently opened ceramic rooms, Etruscan rooms, and especially the bronze rooms. One of my favorite objects is a perfume glass with archaic Greek writing on it that shows the craftsman’s pride in making a piece of very high quality, or an athlete’s head discovered at Herculaneum with bronze overlays on the lips to simulate clove red. or ‘Bacchus Katz’, a masterpiece made of multicolored metal plated with silver, copper, metal…
Do you love ‘Mona Lisa’ as much as the others?
Yes, I don’t know if I should say it, but I don’t think so… ‘Mona Lisa’ is a masterpiece of its time, but its fame is partly due to its becoming an icon. After all, Tuesdays is the closing day of the museum, the day we take the opportunity to work with the objects in the rooms: photographs, restoration, study… That day the museum is more empty than usual and I go to the museum sometimes. See the ‘Mona Lisa’ and be there alone with her for a few minutes. This is a privileged moment.
It is surrounded by works that have been extensively studied. Is there always more to discover in these pieces?
Archaeological research and studies are almost endless… and there is still much to be done for new generations! The collection I hold alone consists of about 8,000 objects. Not all have been studied and not all studied with the same care. In addition, new technologies and the development of archeology allow us to explore new aspects and new areas of research, such as ingredients (food and beverages consumed, most valuable perfumes, fuels used for lighting) or production techniques used. Jeweler masters of ancient times.
What do artworks in a museum like the Louvre tell us in Instagram times?
They tell us about the more direct and perhaps more intimate aspects of the collections. It also allows us to show the everyday moments of our work to the public. It is a tool that allows us to promote the museum in a more graphic and therefore more temporary way, but I like it because it is participatory.
Do we respect our heritage enough in Spain?
In Spain, as in any country, you can always be more respectful of heritage. At a country level, more tools should be devoted to the knowledge and preservation of our culture, with implications other than strictly touristic ones. But heritage preservation is also an individual matter. It’s about respecting the public good and giving us a little more time to know what surrounds us. You can start with very simple gestures, take a walk in the neighborhood, learn about its history, monuments, and then share.
Are we aware of our inherited wealth?
Spain has big fans and professionals dedicated to heritage and culture. The most pressing problem with France is the lack of tools in museums (and other institutions for the preservation and preservation of heritage) and education. This sentence is so trite, but it needs to be crushed. Education is the basis of everything, knowledge, the liberation of the individual, as well as the development and welfare of societies. The alarming news we have had in Spain in recent months proves this. Censorship and authoritarianism are just that; It is the clear and brutal absence of culture and education.
If you get lost inside museumwhere will we find it?
The Louvre museum is constantly being renewed and I love to keep exploring it. I also like to get lost in temporary exhibitions, but the place where you’re most likely to find me is, of course, in the rooms with Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities. It’s been my passion since I was a kid and it’s been alive ever since, I’d say it’s almost stronger today. If you want, I’ll wait for you in the ‘Room of Columns’…