Water leak damages 19th-century ceiling painting at the Louvre Museum

A water leak from a heating system pipe damaged a 19th-century ceiling painting at the Louvre Museum in Paris on the night between Thursday and Friday. The affected artwork, titled "The Triumph of French Painting" by Charles Meynier (1819), is located in Room 707 at the entrance of the Denon wing. Early inspections by conservators revealed two cracks and paint blistering, though an architect for historical monuments confirmed no structural damage to the ceiling. Several rooms, including 706, 707, and 708, were temporarily closed to the public following the incident. This area houses 15th and 16th-century Italian paintings, such as works by Fra Angelico, and is part of the route to the Mona Lisa. Emergency services responded at approximately 23:30 on Thursday, resolving the leak shortly after midnight. This event follows a series of recent issues for the museum, including a theft of jewels worth 88 million euros in October and a previous leak in November that damaged Egyptian manuscripts. Additionally, authorities recently arrested employees and guides involved in a 10-million-euro ticket fraud scheme. Most affected rooms were expected to reopen within hours after the assessment.