Dominique Vivant Denon joined the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1787 as an engraver. He survived the Revolution thanks to his friendship with the painter David and then took part in the Egyptian campaign with Bonaparte. In 1802, he was appointed director of the Central Museum of Arts, renamed Musée Napoléon the following year. He gave the Emperor advice on which works to buy and accompanied him on his military campaigns to select the conquered works of art to be brought back to the Louvre. He would make the Louvre one of the richest and best organised museum in the world. The most popular wing of the Louvre bears his name.