Beginning October 2006 and running through 2009, the Louvre Atlanta partnership will facilitate the greatest transfer of historically important paintings, sculptures and antiquities from the Louvre's collection to be exhibited in the United States, some for the first time ever. The treasures span several centuries and chronicle the Louvre's rise from private palace to world-renowned museum.

Masterpieces by celebrated artists Raphael, Poussin, Rembrandt, Velasquez and Houdon will be among featured compositions on display over the multi-year exhibitions. The Louvre Atlanta exhibitions will be housed in the High's newly completed Anne Cox Chambers Wing, designed by architect Renzo Piano.

Participation as a lead corporate partner affords AXA Art unique access to the High Museum, valuable branding and promotional opportunities within Atlanta's cultural community, and a chance to provide meaningful support for Louvre Atlanta's activities over the retrospective periods.

In making the announcement Christiane Fischer, CEO of AXA Art Insurance commented, "AXA Art has enjoyed rewarding relationships with both esteemed institutions and we are very pleased to play a role in this landmark cultural exchange".

The first Louvre Atlanta year-long exhibition is titled "Kings as Collectors" (October 14, 2006 through September 2, 2007) and brings considerable historic works assembled during the rule of King Louis XIV and Louis XVI, including Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione and Nicolas Poussin's Et in Arcadia Ego. The partnership will also facilitate the exchange of operational strategies, educational programs and the development of joint bilingual publications, conferences, films and seminars exploring the exhibits and related themes.

"We are very grateful for AXA's guidance and generous support of Louvre Atlanta," commented Michael E. Shapiro, Director of the High Museum of Art. "As a global leader with noteworthy expertise in the art world, AXA brings a unique international perspective to our sponsorship consortium. Their participation is highly beneficial to pioneering partnerships such as ours with the Musée du Louvre."

Over the years, AXA has been actively involved in sustainable cultural and heritage-related philanthropic efforts in support of the international art community. Its preservation initiatives have resulted in the purchase and donation of significant treasures to major institutions. Contributions include Houdon's La Vestale marble statue sculpted in 1787, and more recently a 19th-century portrait, the Duke of Orleans by Ingres, to the Louvre's collection.

AXA Art is committed to the preservation of and conservation of works of art and underscores its commitment through initiatives such as "The AXA ART Conservation Research Grant" which supports cutting edge conservation research as well as new restoration procedures. AXA Art views these initiatives as an extension of its financial protection business, which involves not only protecting the assets of individuals and businesses, but also developing and passing on accumulated wealth.

About AXA Art Insurance
AXA Art serves a wide range of clients, from first-time purchasers to the world's most respected collectors, as well as museums, galleries, corporations and public exhibitions. AXA Art insures objects in every active area of serious collecting, that includes paintings, drawings and sculpture to rare stamps, antique furnishings and vintage vehicles. The company's 50 full-time art historians around the world are augmented by an extensive network of renowned curators, appraisers, conservators, shippers and handlers, and tax consultants. AXA Art Insurance maintains offices in New York (headquarters), Atlanta Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia and New England, and sister offices in Brussels, Cologne, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich. For more information visit www.axa-art.com

High Museum of Art
The High Museum of Art, founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, is the leading art museum in the Southeastern United States. With over 11,000 works of art in its permanent collection, the High Museum of Art has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American art; significant holdings of European paintings and decorative art; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography and African art. The High is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists and is distinguished as the only major museum in North America to have a curatorial department specifically devoted to the field of folk and self-taught art. The High's Media Arts department produces acclaimed annual film series and festivals of foreign, independent and classic cinema. In November 2005, the High opened three new buildings by architect Renzo Piano that more than doubled the Museum's size, creating a vibrant "village for the arts" at the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown Atlanta. For more information about the High, please visit www.High.org

For further information, please contact:

Rosalind (Roz) Joseph
Telephone: (718) 710-5181
E-mail: rjoseph@axa-art-usa.com