The Galerie d’Apollon regains its former glory The prestigious Galerie d’Apollon is being reopened to the public after major restoration work, giving visitors a chance to admire the sumptuous decor in all its glory. The ceiling and walls of this gallery, sixty-two meters long and ten meters wide, hold more than a hundred works of art –paintings, stucco and tapestries– by the greatest French artists of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

	Under the gaze of the gods “Hours of patient and carefully-measured retouching to restore one of the most spellbinding paintings in the whole Galerie” Véronique Sorano-Stedman and Cinzia Pasquali, painting restorers

	A story of rebirth The Galerie d’Apollon was conceived as a single work of art, so its restoration required the contribution of numerous arts and crafts. This ambitious project was a veritable human adventure, inspired by the love of art and the quest for lost harmony. Text: Mylène Sultan

	Sixty specialists for a restoration focused on nuances The restoration of the Galerie d’Apollon required two years of preparation followed by three years of actual work. From 1999 to 2001, while historians were carrying out a detailed study of the documents which would serve as a reference for the restorers, another team was making a careful examination of the state of the Galerie itself.

	Henri Loyrette : “An exemplary encounter” Henri Loyrette, who has been in charge of the Louvre for nearly four years, has set himself the target of doubling the investments made by corporate sponsors. Only then will the Louvre be able to carry out other projects as ambitious as the restoration of the Galerie d’Apollon.

	Sponsorship enters a new era The Louvre’s sponsorship funding is now evolving, with donations from private individuals bolstering investments made by the increasing number of corporate sponsors. They are partnering the museum by supporting temporary exhibitions and by financing acquisitions and restoration projects. It’s all about sharing prestige.

	Tracing the past while backing present talents By basing its actions on one of the core values of its corporate culture, respect for civilizations, Total is ensuring that its sponsorship program is a long-term commitment.