The Louvre, photo courtesy of Musee du Louvre
Swiss watchmaker Breguet is further establishing its place in European culture with the sponsorship of renovations at the Louvre.
Breguet contributed several million dollars in 2009 to help the Louvre revamp the rooms housing the eighteenth century art collections, with the finished product unveiled this month. Through this ongoing support of the museum, Breguet is able to show an affinity for the arts.
Continuous partnership
Breguet has a long history with the Louvre. The brand’s founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet, presented grand works at the museum beginning in 1802. Among the 18th century collection at the Louvre are Breguet timepieces, some given by the widow of Claudius Côte in 1961.
This construction project was begun in the early 1980s, with the Louis XIV to Louis XVI rooms completely closed for about a decade. In addition to the physical space, the educational resources and museography have been updated.
Gilbert and Rose Marie Chagoury room, part of the construction, courtesy of the Louvre
To commemorate the reopening of the rooms, Breguet hosted an event for 300 at the Louvre on June 17. The museum is typically closed on Tuesday, giving the attendees a chance to look at gallery spaces at their leisure.
Breguet event at the Louvre
Breguet has previously been a part of exhibits to demonstrate its place in historic watchmaking.
The brand appealed to watch enthusiasts through its participation in the “Precision and Splendor: Clocks and Watches at The Frick Collection,” New York.
The three historic Breguet timepieces by Abraham-Louis Breguet and his son Antoine-Louis Breguet from the late eighteenth century were the most recent creations on display. Breguet also provided major funding for the exhibit, which strengthened its reputation in the watch industry (see story).
Like the previous sponsorship, this may boost Breguet's presence in the art world.