Woman in low-cut dress denied entry to Musee d’Orsay

A woman barred from entering one of France’s most prestigious art galleries apparently because she was wearing a low-cut dress has received an apology after sharing details of the incident on social media.

The Musee d’Orsay in Paris tweeted its regrets after the woman, identified only as “Jeanne,” also took to Twitter to accuse the museum — home to some of the world’s most famous nude paintings — of “double standards.”

Jeanne, who shared an image of herself taken on the same day, says she was initially denied entry while visiting Musee d’Orsay with a friend during a warm day in the French capital.

After questioning why she wasn’t allowed inside, the museum’s staff apparently pointed to her cleavage, leaving her “excruciatingly embarrassed.”

“Arriving at the entrance of the museum, I don’t have time to take out my ticket before the sight of my breasts and my appearance shocks an officer in charge of reservations,” Jeanne writes of the female officer’s reaction.

“At this moment, I am still unaware of the fact that my cleavage has become the subject of this controversy.”

Another officer, this time from security, eventually told her that she had broken the museum’s rules.

Double standards?

Jeanne says staff told her that “rules were rules” and she would need to cover herself up before going inside.

While the guidelines on the museum’s website state that a visitor “wearing an outfit susceptible to disturbing the peace,” can be denied entry, it doesn’t specify what type of clothing would warrant this.

“I do not want to put on my jacket because I feel beaten, obliged, I am ashamed, I have the impression that everyone is looking at my breasts,” she says.

At this point, the friend accompanying her pointed out that her midriff was on display and questioned why Jeanne was being singled out.

Jeanne says she eventually agreed to put her jacket on, and she and her friend were permitted to enter.

“Inside: paintings of naked women, sculptures of naked women, artists advocating as well as engaging,” she continued, pointing out that many of the other visitors were also wearing skimpy clothing.

Jeanne went on to criticize the museum’s staff for “discriminating on the basis of cleavage.”

“I question the coherence with which the representatives of a national museum can prohibit access to knowledge and culture on the basis of an arbitrary judgment determining if the appearance of someone is decent,” she says.

“I am not just my breasts, I am not just a body, your double standards will not be an obstacle to my access to culture and knowledge.”

In its apology, posted on Twitter, Musee d’Orsay said it had reached out to Jeanne.

“We have taken note of an incident that occurred with a visitor during her visit to the Musée d’Orsay,” it reads, before stating that the museum “profoundly regrets” what happened and has contacted the “concerned person” to apologize.

Edouard Manet’s “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” and Gustave Courbet’s “The Origin of the World” are among the many famous works depicting nudity that are on display at the museum.

CNN has contacted the Musee d’Orsay and Jeanne for comment.