AXA Group

La Vestale by Jean-Antoine Houdon

As part of the AXA Group's policy of cultural heritage philanthropy, AXA has acquired La Vestale, an eighteenth century sculpture by Houdon, for the Louvre Museum in Paris.

This eighteenth century masterpiece, which had not been exhibited to the public in over fifty years, was acquired by AXA under the French Philanthropy Act.

AXA's subsidiaries in several countries have developed partnerships with local museums, including the Guggenheim in Spain and the Museum of Modern Art in the United States. AXA Art is involved in international projects to preserve the world's artistic heritage and develop new techniques for artwork restoration and conservation.

AXA's philanthropic support involves the restoration and conservation of the world's cultural heritage. The aim of every initiative undertaken is to preserve or restore works of art, build up national museum collections or expose a wider public audience to art and culture.

The donation of this sculpture is part of the Group's broader corporate philanthropy policy, whose aim is to build affiliation and enrich AXA's corporate culture. The policy is also consistent with AXA's commitment to corporate responsibility, and is a natural extension of its core Financial Protection business. Adapted to take local cultural differences into account, the policy has three major pillars: volunteer work in the community (AXA Hearts in Action), community philanthropy and cultural heritage philanthropy.

* Houdon (Jean Antoine), French sculptor (1741-1828). Creator of tombstones and mythological figures, he is particularly admired for his children's portraits, busts and remarkably lifelike statues of the day's celebrities (J. J. Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot, B. Franklin, Washington).