What is it? A travelling exhibition featuring 130 exquisite artworks – from classic sculptures to painted vases – from the Louvre museum’s Greek and Hellenistic galleries, which are undergoing refurbishment. 

And this is a big deal because… the renowned Paris museum rarely loans more than a dozen items from any department at a time. This is the first time the Greek artefacts have been shipped out for exhibition since they were acquired 200 years ago. The showcase, which has gone to China and Japan in the past, also marks the first time the Louvre will display its works in South-East Asia. It’s one of the most costly programmes undertaken by the National Museum of Singapore. A professional group of art handlers and staff from the exhibition, curatorial and conservation staff from the Louvre, the National Museum and its Heritage Conservation Centre will manage the installation of the priceless works, some which weigh between 100 to 460 kilograms, with the two tallest sculptures being 2.1 metres high. 

Will we get to see the Venus de Milo then? Erm, not quite. She won’t be here in her classic armless pose – that masterpiece is way too priceless to leave Paris – but Aphrodite, the Greek version of Venus and goddess of beauty, will be on hand. Most of the items on display will present an overview of ancient Greece circa the fourth and fifth centuries BC, depicting its history, arts, sports, religion and gods. 

Such as? The exquisite sculptures of male gods Borghese Ares (pictured right) – the most expensive artefact – and Apollo Sauroctono, regarded as one of the finest and earliest representations of the male torso, according to National Museum curator Szan Tan. ‘In the Aphrodite section, sculptures of Venus d’Arles, the Head of Aphrodite and Venus Genitrix are one of the first and finest representations of the female nude in Western art,’ he adds. Sports fans, look out for the statue of Nike, the goddess of victory (and the inspiration for that swoosh logo). Other highlights include a fine collection of Greek gold jewellery dating to fifth century BC, as well as amphoras – storing vases or vessels with distinct shapes that also serve as surfaces for Greek art. 

If we’ve seen them at the Louvre, why should we see them here? Due to architectural constraints at the Louvre, the items are displayed according to material – the stone sculptures were shown on the ground floor, while vases, bronzes and terracotta figurines were displayed in the upper galleries because the floorboards can only bear the weight of small objects. In Singapore, the exhibition will be a thematic presentation of ancient Greek life, ‘of how their people lived, the structure of their society, their educational, political and belief system as well as their cultural foundations,’ says Tan. 

‘Greek Masterpieces from the Louvre’ runs from 9 Dec-16 Mar 2008, see here for further information.