Just weeks after a daring jewel heist sparked international concern, the Louvre Museum suffered a water leak that damaged hundreds of rare books in its Egyptian antiquities’ library.
Newsweek reached out to the Louvre by email Sunday for comment.
What To Know
Francis Steinbock, the museum’s deputy administrator, told BFM TV on Sunday that a water pipe leak last month severely damaged between 300 and 400 documents in the department.
La Tribune de l’Art, a specialist art website, reported that the leak occurred November 27 and was not discovered until it had soaked into the floor below, making some of the books and bindings “irretrievable.”
Steinbock said the leak affected one of three rooms in the department’s library, with the affected works primarily being archaeological journals and research volumes dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the New York Times reported.
He emphasized that while these were texts regularly used by Egyptologists, “no precious books” or ancient works of art were impacted by the incident. Steinbock also noted they are still working to identify the extent of the damage, saying, “We have identified between 300 and 400 works, the count is ongoing,” the Times reported.
After the discovery of the leak, museum staff acted quickly to dry the pages individually and set up air dehumidifiers in the affected space to minimize further deterioration, according to Steinbock.
La Tribune de l’Art attributed the cause of the damage to poor pipe conditions, noting the department had repeatedly asked for resources to protect its book collection from such risks but had not received sufficient funding.
The Louvre’s administration acknowledged the underlying issue had been identified previously, with renovations now scheduled for next September, Reuters reported.
The incident followed a series of setbacks for the museum’s infrastructure and security. In October, four burglars entered the Louvre during daylight hours and stole over $102 million worth of jewels, an event described by French and international media as a “daring jewel heist.”
Last month, additional structural weaknesses forced the partial closure of a gallery displaying Greek vases and adjacent offices.
A report from the French public audit body, the Cour des Comptes, released in October, highlighted the Louvre’s “inability to update its infrastructure,” stating budget pressures were worsened by what it described as excessive spending on artwork acquisitions instead of maintaining existing infrastructure.
While the museum continues to operate and attract millions of visitors annually, scholars and art professionals have expressed concern that without proactive investment in repairs and maintenance, future incidents could endanger irreplaceable cultural heritage resources.
What People Are Saying
Hélène Guichard, director of the Egyptian antiquities department, told the New York Times on Sunday: “No ancient works were affected, and the Louvre’s rapid and efficient response to the incident greatly limited the damage.”
What Happens Next
Staff at the Louvre are continuing efforts to salvage damaged materials using controlled drying techniques.
Budgetary discussions regarding future infrastructure updates are ongoing, in part spurred by recent incidents and calls from oversight bodies for more investment in maintenance.
