Description from the Publisher
This book accompanies the permanent installation created by Cy Twombly to decorate the Salle des Bronzes in the Louvre Museum, April 2010.
An immense blue sky, dotted with floating spheres and inscribed with the names of illustrious Greek sculptors, now decorates the ceiling of the Salle des Bronzes Antiques, the prestigious upper room situated in the oldest section of the palace. Today it contains more than a thousand bronzes and close to one hundred pieces of jewelry, evidence of the wealth of the Greek, Italic, and Roman cultures from the 9th century BC to the 6th century AD.
The ceiling painted by Cy Twombly is the third commission for a permanent work offered to a contemporary artist, following Anselm Kiefer and François Morellet. What is surprising about this monumental work covering almost 400 sq.m is the unprecedented approach taken by the artist. Known for his painting-writing style with its nervous graphic elements and splashes of vibrant color, Cy Twombly has adapted himself to the site without imposing upon it, respecting the Zen qualities of detachment, lightness, and permanence that suffuse his work.
Cy Twombly. The Ceiling. Edited by Marie-Laure Bernadac. Interview with Cy Twombly, Marie-Laure Bernadac. Texts by Richard Leeman, Guillaume Fonkenell. Musée du Louvre editions, Editions du Regard, 2010. 80 pages, 40 illustrations. French / English edition.