Charles Meynier (1763-1832) was a painter of great culture and history, who has now been forgotten. Passionate about Antiquity, he was constantly on the lookout for new subjects. He had a great sense of perspective, which made him a genius in ceiling painting. Initially entitled “France protecting Fine Arts under the Auspices of Peace”, Meynier renamed his work “France, in the guise of Minerva, protecting the Arts”. Installed in 1819 in the former grand staircase of the Louvre Museum, the painting was later moved to the ceiling of the Percier and Fontaine room. It belonged to the art collection of King Louis XVIII.