Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – "Acontece que no es poco | 18 de noviembre de 1793: Inaugurado el Museo del Louvre, una historia de reyes, sangre y robos"

Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Nieves Concostrina (with Carlos - Host 2)
Podcast: SER Podcast

Overview

This episode of "Acontece que no es poco" is dedicated to the fascinating and tumultuous history of the Louvre Museum, marking its inauguration as a public institution on November 18, 1793. Nieves Concostrina brings her incisive, satirical tone to recount the journey of the Louvre from its origins as a medieval fortress, through royal renovations and bloody episodes, to its current role as a global cultural icon—complete with tales of theft, revolution, and imperial plundering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Louvre’s Origins: From Fortress to Palace

• The Louvre began as a defensive tower in the 12th century, built to ward off the English (03:53).
• Over the centuries, various kings expanded the fortress, eventually transforming it into a royal residence.
• Enrique IV’s Transformation:
  • Came after “el baño de sangre de la noche de San Bartolomé” in 1571, where Protestants were massacred in the Louvre during wedding festivities (04:24).
  • Enrique IV survived thanks to his marriage to Margarita, but later died in the same palace after an assassination attempt (06:30).

2. The Bloody Past: Noche de San Bartolomé

• The notorious massacre was directly linked to the royal family and the palace's history.
• Quote: “Porque es que fue en el palacio del Louvre donde estaban alojados todos los protestantes aquel agosto de 1571... Todos, absolutamente todos, menos Enrique, por haberse casado...fueron asesinados.” – Nieves (04:24)

3. Royal Caprices, Abandonment, and Artists’ Sanctuary

• Luis XIII and Luis XIV: Further developments but also increased extravagance.
• Luis XIV (the “repollo fashion victim”) ultimately abandoned the Louvre for Versailles, which caused the building to deteriorate (07:21).
• While the monarchy left, artists moved in, living and working in the Louvre. Luis XIV even founded several academies inside: painting, sculpture, architecture (08:43).

4. The Museification: From Palace to Public Museum

• Under Luis XVI the idea of turning the palace into a museum emerged (09:41).
• The French Revolution intervened, decapitating Louis XVI. Nonetheless, the Louvre opened as a museum for the people on November 18, 1793.
• Quote: “La mala noticia para Luis XVI es que se les metió una revolución por el medio... el hombre no vio la inauguración aquel 18 de noviembre de 1793.” – Nieves (09:55)
• The museum initially opened only on weekends to the public; artists continued working there during the week (11:05).

5. Napoleonic Plunder and the Global Art Debate

• Napoleon’s Empire: Shifted the Louvre from a national to a truly global collection.
• Napoleon’s campaigns brought in major works from Egypt, Italy, and Greece—“enriqueciendo” the museum’s collection by means of art plundering and conquest (13:07).
• She underscores the irony of national claims on art: the Rosetta Stone, discovered during Napoleon’s Egypt campaign, ended up in the British Museum (13:56).
• Quote: “Este los franceses lo definen con el eufemismo de ‘enriqueció las colecciones del Louvre’. Bueno…quitándoselo a los demás.” – Nieves (13:14)

6. Broader Critique: The Role of Monarchy vs Real Changemakers

• Nieves is skeptical about crediting kings with the creation of cultural institutions, arguing it was usually advisors or spouses (e.g., Isabel de Braganza and Museo del Prado).
• Quote: “Yo no me fío de ningún rey. Siempre se atribuye a los reyes, siempre se les atribuye las ideas, las creaciones, pero luego, cuando rascas, descubres que la mayoría…nacía gracias a sus asesores.” – Nieves (11:12-11:33)
• Short digression/critique of Spanish royals occupying properties meant for public use (09:07).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Porque es que fue en el palacio del Louvre donde estaban alojados todos los protestantes aquel agosto de 1571... Todos, absolutamente todos, menos Enrique, por haberse casado...fueron asesinados.” – Nieves (04:24)
• “Luis XIV... se fue a Versalles. El Louvre fue abandonado... si no lo usas, se estropean.” – Nieves (07:43)
• “El caso es que en el Palacio del Louvre empezaron a realizarse exposiciones montadas por aquellos artistas que se quedaron… hasta que con Luis XVI surgió la idea de convertir el Louvre en museo.” – Nieves (09:03)
• “Siempre se atribuye a los reyes... pero luego, cuando rascas, descubres que... la mayoría nacía gracias a sus asesores.” – Nieves (11:12)
• “Este los franceses lo definen con el eufemismo de ‘enriqueció las colecciones del Louvre’. Bueno…quitándoselo a los demás.” – Nieves (13:14)
• Sobre la piedra Rosetta: “La encontraron los franceses, se la llevaron los británicos y los egipcios aún se desgañitan reclamándola.” – Nieves (14:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:53 – Orígenes medievales del Louvre y Enrique IV
• 04:24 – Masacre de la Noche de San Bartolomé
• 07:21 – Luis XIII y Luis XIV, abandono del Louvre, llegada de los artistas
• 08:43 – Academias artísticas dentro del Louvre y primeras exposiciones
• 09:41 – Planes iniciales del museo bajo Luis XVI y la irrupción de la Revolución
• 11:05 – Apertura como museo público, horarios y restricciones
• 13:07 – Era napoleónica, adquisición (expolio) de antigüedades
• 13:56 – Caso de la piedra de Rosetta, disputa de arte expoliado

Tone & Style

True to Nieves Concostrina’s style, the narration is laced with sarcasm, wit, and a critical eye on historical figures—especially monarchs—while celebrating the cultural evolution that turned a bloody royal palace into the world’s most visited museum. There’s frequent use of humor and irreverent asides, making even the grisliest parts of history engaging and thought-provoking.

Conclusion

If you want a story not just of luminous art and world heritage, but also of “reyes, sangre y robos”, this episode delivers in classic Concostrina fashion—enlightening, irreverent, and sharp, with plenty of historical gems and wry observations on both the glory and the moral ambiguity of the Louvre's long history.