Abstract
This essay examines the foundations of the public character of revolutionary museums in France and their development following political changes. With the public opening of the Louvre Museum, various debates were activated around the problems of display and the classification of exhibits. The “Réflexions sur le Muséum national” by Jean-Baptiste-Pierre Le Brun deserves a detailed analysis in this respect. The ephemeral Museum of French Monuments administrated by Alexandre Lenoir is also considered as it was originally conceived as a ‘book open to instruction’ for the public cause and offered a visible chronology of the history of French art. The public policy of the first museums has, however, revealed a number of paradoxes that are still unresolved and now resuscitated, in which the interpretation of the public character and role of the museum is subject to numerous deviations and the need for reappropriation.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
