The opening of the Louvre in 1793 preceded the birth of photography by a few decades. The museum served as a fertile source of inspiration for the early pioneers of photography. Whether produced for documentary, scientific, artistic, or private purposes; preserved in the archives of the museum's departments or in national collections; signed or anonymous-the photographs taken at the Louvre are all portraits of the museum, all testaments to the connection it maintains with its own image.

This unprecedented exhibition centers on the Louvre as a model, subject, source of inspiration, object of reinterpretation, or muse. It will feature more than 300 photographs, ranging from the first image taken by Louis-Jacques Daguerre in 1839 to the present day. Whether commissioned by the museum or created on the photographers' own initiative, these images depict the artworks, the exhibition halls, as well as famous and anonymous visitors, the people who work there, hidden spots, and behind-the-scenes areas.