Alwaleed Donates $20 Million to Louvre Islamic Wing

Bloomberg via email no url | 7/26/5

[NativeNewYorker]

July 26 (Bloomberg) -- Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is donating 17 million euros ($20 million) toward the building of an Islamic art wing at the Louvre, the largest-ever gift to the world's biggest museum.

Alwaleed signed the donation agreement at the Paris museum in the presence of Louvre President Henri Loyrette and French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres. The prince said his gift, which he called ``an investment,'' will help to better explain the Islamic world to Europeans.

``Relations between Europe and the Islamic world are going through a turbulent period,'' Alwaleed said at the signing ceremony, held beneath stairs leading to the second century B.C. Greek statue Winged Victory of Samothrace. ``We were given the opportunity to represent Islam in the best museum in the world. We should thank France, not France thank us.''

[NativeNewYorker]

A gifted novelist couldn't have stuffed more symbolism into that excerpt.

[SlowBoat407]

Why am I seeing the Mona Lisa wearing a burkha all of a sudden?

[TheShaz]

Looks pretty easy to buy off the French.

[dennisw]

barf alert!!

[Steely Tom]

Will the curators of the Islamic art wing have among their duties the placing of high explosives at strategic points within the Louvre's other wings?

(steely)

[Alexander Rubin]

Alwaleed to the Mona Lisa:

"Merciful Allah! I can see your eyebrows! scandalous! Cover yourself, you harlot!"

[johnnyBbad]

"An investment."

Indeed.

[Millee]

You asked for it. Her smile is as alluring as ever!

[lilylangtree]

Undoubtedly a love gift. (snicker)

[NativeNewYorker]

YES! It's clear from the prince's statement that he really really thinks *he* is getting the good deal here.

[Pyro7480]

LOL!

[poobear]

Will the Islamic art wing include all of the atrocities inflicted to the Europe and the United States including beheadings, incinerated remains of the people in the planes and twin towers, how about mutilated bodies of the folks in the tube and buses in London and let's not forget the Madrid trains.
- !

[pointsal]

Next thing you know they will be putting

toilets in Louvre

[Darkwolf377]

Is this going to be called the "Please Don't Hurt Us We Surrender Easily Just Ask Germany" wing?

[NativeNewYorker]

[SlowBoat407]

Islam, a religion of appease.

[sumocide]

In (Saudi/Wahabi/Sunni) Islam you get your head chopped off for depicting people. Therefore islamic art is limited to drawing pretty patterns. A whole wing full of that will be quite boring.

[highlander_UW]

Now if only France would fill that Islamic heritage wing with relics from Charles Martel and is defeat of the first attempted muslim invasion of Europe.

[antiRepublicrat]

Will the Islamic art wing include all of the atrocities inflicted to the Europe and the United States including beheadings, incinerated remains of the people in the planes

I don't know. Do the sections containing Christian art include witch burnings, Inquisition, Jewish persecution and the Catholics/Protestants murdering or exiling the other to die?

Islam does have some good art in its history. I see no problem with it being in a museum in an artistic context.

[Abathar]

WHAT Islamic art? A kids mosaic made from empty brass casings maybe?