Laurence Des Cars, 59, the head of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, stepped down on the 24th after encountering multiple challenges, including a royal jewel theft last October, leaks, strikes, and ticket fraud incidents. Des Cars, who made history as the first woman to lead the Louvre in its 228-year existence in 2021, submitted her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on the same day, which he accepted, describing it as “a responsible move.” In France, the president is responsible for appointing leaders of cultural public institutions, such as museums.
Director Des Cars had faced calls to step down since the Louvre’s weak security measures were revealed after an event on October 19 last year, when burglars entered the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre Museum and stole eight royal artifacts. Right after the incident, Director Des Cars submitted her resignation to the Élysée Palace (French presidential office) via the Minister of Culture, but Macron turned it down at that time.
With regard to the reasons behind ultimately accepting the resignation, the Élysée Palace said, “The museum requires a new surge of energy, essential for enhancing security, modernization, and effectively implementing the ‘Louvre-Renaissance’ initiative.” The Louvre-Renaissance is an extensive renovation and restoration project for the Louvre Museum that was officially announced by Macron last year.
He, whose grandfather was a novelist and father a journalist and writer, studied modern and contemporary art history at the Sorbonne and École du Louvre, France’s leading institutions for art and culture education, and previously worked as director of the Paris Orangerie and Orsay Museums.
Despite becoming the first woman to lead the Louvre Museum and gaining recognition, calls for her resignation remained strong because of the museum’s leaks, ongoing employee strikes, and incidents of ticket fraud and theft by staff. French newspaper Le Monde noted that she also encountered political pressure, as she was seen as a potential hindrance to Culture Minister Rachida Dati’s election campaign for Paris mayor, which is approaching next month’s local elections.
Nevertheless, in French political circles, the common opinion is that appointing a new director will not result in innovation at the Louvre. Alexandre Portier, a member of the Republican Party and head of the Louvre Museum security investigation committee, stated to Le Monde, “Changing the pilot is pointless if the piloting method remains the same,” and further noted, “Systemic issues demand systemic solutions. The software needs to be updated.”
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