The first artwork I saw in the Louvre (besides the Louvre itself) was Winged Victory. I suspect it's many people's first, because of how it sits right at the entrance to one of the main ells of the building. It is...IMPRESSIVE, to say the least.When we arrived at the museum, right when it was opening, I wanted first to go see La Jocunde, to avoid the crowds that I knew were coming, but we had to take a moment to admire Winged Victory. I'm glad we did, too. Later in the day when I wandered by again on my way to a different part of the museum, I could barely get through this hall.

You'll notice I'm not posting any pictures of Mona Lisa.There are a couple of reasons. First, everybody knows that one painting, even if they've never seen any other. Second, they don't let you anywhere near the darned thing, & it's pretty small, even compared to the other da Vincis they've got hanging on the walls. Third, I want to focus on this one: My own personal favorite painitng by da Vinci, The Madonna of the Rocks:
Many of da Vinci's paintings are very dark in person, not at all like the reproductions you see in books. They come alive when the flash hits them & the color become vibrant. The angel in this painting (in the red cloak) just fascinates me. I stood & stared.