Beyoncédidn’t need togo to the Met Gala this year— she andJAY-Zown the Louvre!
Along with anew nine-track albumEverything Is Love, the coupledropped a new video this weekend. From its opening on a faux gargoyle to the slow reveal of Bey and Jay in front of the Mona Lisa, the Carter’s “Apes—” visuals are a tour de force.
The Ricky Saiz-directed video is also a tour de Louvre, showing off some of the museum’s beautiful locations and priceless works. Shot in two consecutive nights during their time in Paris for tour rehearsals in May, it’s a work of art involving several dozen masterpieces.
Here’s a culture lover’s guide to all of the fine art references in the video.
After a few teasing intro shots, including the gargoyle dancer in the Cour Napoleon and a brief glimpse of Delacroix’sApollo Slays Python, music’s most famous couple appear in a slow tracking reveal in front of the world’s most enigmatic smile.
TheMona Lisa
The Winged Victory of Samothraceand theSphinx
The video features a series of shots showing the couple seated in front of the museum’s celebrated Grande Galerie.TheWinged Victory of Samothracestatue sits midway in its main stairwell, as does and theSphinx(circa 2000 BC) — whose crypt guards the museum’s collection of Egyptology.
The Coronation of Napoleonand the work of Jacques-Louis David
Beyonce/Youtube
David’s celebrated portrait of Madame Récamier, a banker’s wife commissioned in 1800 can be seen (at 2:15) as well.
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Raft of the Medusa
TheVenus de Milo
Portrait d’une Femme Noire
source: people.com
