The Couronne personnelle de Louis XV (Personal Crown of Louis XV) and the Plaque de lâOrdre du Saint-Esprit offerte par Louis XV Ã lâinfant de Parme (Badge of the Order of the Holy Spirit Given by Louis XV to the Infante of Parma), on display in Room 705 (Galerie dâApollon), Denon Wing.
Created in 1722 for the coronation of Louis XV, this ceremonial crown was designed by Claude Rondé and executed by the goldsmith Augustin Duflos under the direction of Laurent Rondé, royal jeweler, at the Louvreâs galleries. It was originally adorned with the Regent Diamond at the front and the Sancy Diamond at the summit. This crown is a rare surviving piece of the French regalia, preserved after the Revolution. Originally kept in the treasury of Saint-Denis, it was transferred multiple times before entering the Louvreâs collection in 1852.
Created between 1740 and 1760, this ceremonial badge of the Order of the Holy Spirit consists of an enameled dove set against an eight-pointed star with alternating fleurs-de-lys, composed of 383 brilliant-cut diamonds totaling approximately 48 carats, and a single ruby forming the doveâs beak. Crafted in polished silver, it bears the Latin inscription LUD. XV. D. D. (Louis XV gave [this]). Modeled on the âwhite insigniaâ of Louis XV, it was likely presented to Philip, Duke of Parma, upon his knighthood in 1736, or his grandson Ferdinand in 1762. Originally part of the Bourbon-Parma and Spanish royal collections, the piece was acquired by the Louvre in 1951 from the Dol-Lair bequest.
The Louvre is the worldâs most visited museum and one of its largest, housing over 35,000 works of art from prehistory to the 19th century. Originally built as a fortress under Philippe Auguste in the late 12th century, it was transformed into a royal palace and later into a public museum during the French Revolution in 1793. Its collections span eight departments, including Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman art, Islamic art, sculpture, decorative arts, paintings, prints, and drawings. The museum is organized across three wingsâDenon, Sully, and Richelieuâsurrounding the Cour Napoléon. The modern glass Pyramid entrance, designed by architect I. M. Pei and inaugurated in 1989, unifies the historic palace complex while serving as a symbol of the museumâs global identity.