The photograph above was taken in 1992 when President Mitterand was still alive. He was a very controversial man amongst the French people. He was a staunch advocate for the building of this neo-modern structure on the grounds of the Louvre. Some Parisians liked it and others did not. I suppose that the verdict will always be out on this.
Mitterand was a fierce competitor in the battle for the unification of Europe. He had many supporters as well as detractors. It seems his popularity ebbed and flowed. His term of office lasted fourteen years. This was the longest reign since Napolean III.
I have often pictured him in the Louvre looking out at the more classical architechture surrounding this, one of his pet projects...wondering if he had made the right decision to leave this as one of his legacies. His popularity was on the rise at the time of his death, but surely, he must have wondered if he had done the right thing in backing the construction of this eye to the past.
