The Louvre’s loans to Abu Dhabi are soft power in action

There is a major row taking place in France at the moment over the decision by the Louvre to make long-term loans to the High Museum in Atlanta and the future museum by Frank Gehry in Abu Dhabi in exchange for payment (see p21). What a pity. It is inspired by an unrealistic vision of the museum economy today, combined with chauvinism that sees such loans as a loss to France rather than an opportunity. Françoise Cachin and Jean Clair, both art historians, and Roland Recht, the historian, who published their appeal against the new policy in Le Monde newspaper on 13 December 2006, say that French museums are envied by museums the world over, especially in the US, for their public funding. Total public funding is, however, just a memory in France and, in any case, it was never enough.

The museum’s new policy is not a scandal, nor is it unique in Europe, as the protesters say, because the V&A has been contemplating a similar arrangement with Hong Kong for some time. What would be a scandal, however, would be if (Le Monde, 11 January) the French Ministry of Finance were to help itself to part of the e700m Abu Dhabi is said to be paying. This is where the lobbyists should be directing their attention, not to keeping the stores of the Louvre crammed with unseen works.
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