French president appoints Christophe Leribault as Louvre museum director

Former Musée d’Orsay director, historian Christophe Leribault, has been appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron as the new director of the Louvre Museum, succeeding Laurence des Cars, who resigned on February 24, according to the French Ministry of Culture.

Macron accepted des Cars’ resignation, praising her sense of responsibility and emphasising the need for new momentum at the museum.

Last October, des Cars had already submitted a resignation following a theft at the Louvre, in which jewels worth around $102 million belonging to Napoleon and his wife Eugénie were stolen. At that time, Culture Minister Rachida Dati did not approve her resignation.

Following Dati’s recommendation, Macron has appointed Annick Lemoine as president of the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée de l’Orangerie. The Musée d’Orsay has been without a director since the sudden death of its president in August last year from a heart attack at age 58.

By Jeyhun Aghazada