A part of Persepolis in Louvre Museum, Paris

Posted by M&H (Aberdeen, United Kingdom) on 14 September 2007 in Art & Design.

If you wonder how this great piece of art is displayed in the Louvre Museum, read below:

After the British, the French men started pillaging in Iran. In the field of recognition of artistic and ancient works, one should mention Pascal Coust (architect) and Eugene Flanden (painter). On behalf of the French Academy of Fine Arts, these two French men, together with Edward de Sassi, the French Ambassador, came to Iran. During their two years stay, they discovered Tsephon Arch, Kangavar, Hamedan, Firuzabad, Fasa, Naghsh-e Rostam, Pasargad and Persepolis archaeological relics, and published the results of their efforts in their travel diary together with relevant pictures. But the excavation of Susa archaeological works was carried out by William Kennet Loftus, an Englishman. He is the first person to have obtained an accurate information about Susa, particularly Apadana hall. His excavations near the tomb of Daniel Nabi incurred people's wrath and was left incomplete. Twenty years later (1881), a French couple by the name of Marcel and Jeanne Dieulafoy continued Loftus' excavations.

French treasure hunter Marcel Dieulafoy (1844-1920), who was from Toulouse, started working as an engineer in Algeria. Later on he made some trips to various countries and was enchanted by arts and ancient monuments of the East. In 1881 he was given a mission by the French Ministry of Education to study Sasanian arts and ancient monuments. He was helped by his wife who took charge of copying and taking photographs. This engineer started his studies in Armenia, then came to Tehran through Tabriz and Mianeh, and was welcomed by Dr. Toulousan (Nasereddin Shah's doctor). He studied the towns and cities of Varamin, Qom, Kashan, Isfahan and Shiraz, then went to Iraq through the south of Iran, and returned to Iran in company of Karbala pilgrims. Having carried out an extensive research in Dezful and Susa he went to France. In 1882, he published the results of his work, entitled "The ancient Arts of Iran", and showed the results of his excavation to Jules Ferry, the Minister of Education. The latter dispatched Dieulafoy to Iran again to carry out further excavations there.

During this trip, he was accompanied by two other engineers, named Charles Bobin and Frederique Husse. Dr. Toulousan obtained the necessary permission, and it was decided that half of the findings should belong to France. Dieulafoy, his wife, and the two engineers began their work in Susa. The outcome of their excavations was 35 tons of ancient objects which were transported from Susa to Basra. A few months later the French people got acquainted with the heritage of Iranian ancestors displayed in Louvre Museum. Marcel Dieulafoy published more than 8 books about arts and ancient monuments of Iran.

Well, It is a shame to see this great piece of art in there!!!

More to find in here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persepolis

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