Rome : La Cité Et L'empire

Exhibition at the Louvre-Lens Museum, 6 April - 25 July 2022

Roman civilisation expressed itself through all the arts of its time. Its artistic models spread widely and were mixed with other traditions in many regions. In this open society, art was expressed both through official commissions and popular manifestations. This artistic heterogeneity reflects the great social, cultural and geographical diversity of an empire that stretched from Western Europe to the Near East and whose history spans more than thirteen centuries.

From the work of the mind to that of the fields, from the entertainment of the theatre, the circus or the hunt to the pleasures of banqueting, bathing, grooming and love, Roman art represented everything, paying equal attention to the details of official or private, imperial or popular life.

This catalogue of the retrospective devoted to Roman civilization, from its legendary foundation in 753 BC to the fall of the empire in 476 AD, invites us to discover Roman civilization and art through the great subjects that shaped Rome and contributed to its greatness and fascination. The greatest masterpieces from the Roman collections of the Louvre Museum are presented to tell the story of Rome, its empire and its art.