The Château d'Écouen is an historic
château
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Now ...
in the commune of
Écouen
Écouen () is a Communes of France, commune in the Val-d'Oise department, in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, center of Paris. The 19th-century poet and playwright Pierre-Joseph Charrin (1784–1863) d ...
, some 20 km north of Paris, France, and a notable example of
French Renaissance architecture
French Renaissance architecture is a style which was prominent between the late 15th and early 17th centuries in the Kingdom of France. It succeeded French Gothic architecture. The style was originally imported from Italy after the Hundred Years ...
. Since 1975, it has housed the collections of the Musée national de la Renaissance (National Museum of the Renaissance).
The château was built between 1539 and 1555 for
Anne de Montmorency, the ''
Connétable de France'' or Grand Constable, chief minister and commander of the French army for King
Francois I
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...
, and later for
Henri II. It contains important collections of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, stained glass, furniture, textiles and other arts of the
French Renaissance
The French Renaissance was the cultural and artistic movement in France between the 15th and early 17th centuries. The period is associated with the pan-European Renaissance, a word first used by the French historian Jules Michelet to define th ...
.
History of the Château
Records show that a fortress has existed on this hilltop site since the 12th century. The fortress guarded the Plain of France, the historic invasion route from the north.
Anne de Montmorency, a nobleman, senior minister and childhood companion of King
Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to:
* Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407)
* Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450
* Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547
* Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...
, inherited the fortress in 1515. In 1538, the King named Montmorency Constable of France, commander of the armed forces, and the grand master of the household of the King. Montmorency decided to reconstruct the castle completely in order to make it suitable for receiving the King in grand style.
The Château was laid out following the plan of the royal
Château of Chambord in the Loire Valley. It was set on a terrace overlooking the countryside below, encircled by a false
moat with a fortified wall surrounded with bastions, probably symbolizing the Constable's role as commander of the army. The chateau was in the form of a rectangle around a central courtyard, with square pavilions on the corners. It was composed of two three-story residential wings, connected by a one-story entrance wing. Both of the residential wings had monumental stairways in their centers to provide access to the suites on the upper floors.
The Constable and his wife, Madeleine of Savoy, resided in the south wing, which contained their private chapel and apartments. The north wing was entirely devoted to royal visitors: It contained the suite of the Queen on the first floor and the suite of the King on the floor above. The top floors of the three main wings feature rows of ''lucarnes,'' or dormer windows.
Records of the construction have been lost, so the name of the building's original architect is uncertain, but it is known that the royal architect
Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
, who later designed the Grand Constable's tomb, participated in decoration of the Château, particularly in the design of the north wing's ornate neo-classical peristyles employing the
colossal order, that face both the inner courtyard and the exterior north gardens. Bullant's addition of classical columns and entablature elements to the north wing is an early example of the merging of classical and medieval forms, which became a distinguishing feature of
French Renaissance architecture
French Renaissance architecture is a style which was prominent between the late 15th and early 17th centuries in the Kingdom of France. It succeeded French Gothic architecture. The style was originally imported from Italy after the Hundred Years ...
.
Anne de Montmorency invited some of the most prominent French artists of the Renaissance to participate in the sculpture and decoration. His chapel was decorated with sculptures by
Jean Goujon
Jean Goujon (c. 1510 – c. 1565)Thirion, Jacques (1996). "Goujon, Jean" in ''The Dictionary of Art'', edited by Jane Turner; vol. 13, pp. 225–227. London: Macmillan. Reprinted 1998 with minor corrections: . was a French Renaissance sculpt ...
,
Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
,
Barthélemy Prieur and
Bernard Palissy
Bernard Palissy (c. 1510c. 1589) was a French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain. He is best known for his so-called "rusticware", typically highly decor ...
. Some members of the
Androuet du Cerceau family found protection and work at Écouen. Much of the glass from Écouen is now at the
Musée Condé
The Musée Condé – in English, the Condé Museum – is a French museum located inside the Château de Chantilly in Chantilly, Oise, 40 km north of Paris. In 1897, Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, son of Louis Philippe I, bequeathed the ...
, and the east wing was paved in 1549-50. The building was frescoed and furnished during the 1550s, in the style of the
School of Fontainebleau
The School of Fontainbleau (french: École de Fontainebleau) (c. 1530 – c. 1610) refers to two periods of artistic production in France during the late Renaissance centered on the royal Palace of Fontainebleau that were crucial in forming the No ...
. No building accounts survive, so it is not possible to follow the precise sequence of the construction. However, panels of
grisaille
Grisaille ( or ; french: grisaille, lit=greyed , from ''gris'' 'grey') is a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many g ...
stained glass in the gallery of the west wing are dated 1542 and 1544, and engravings of Écouen were included in
Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau, also given as Du Cerceau, DuCerceau, or Ducerceau (1510–1584) was a well-known French designer of architecture, ornament, furniture, metalwork and other decorative designs during the 16th century, and the founder ...
's ''Les Plus excellents bastiments de France'', 1576.
The Chateau remained in the Montmorency family until 1632, when it became the property of the
Bourbon-Condé branch of the royal family. In 1787, shortly before the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
. the original east entrance portal, topped by an equestrian statue of Montmorency, was demolished by the new owner,
Louis Joseph de Bourbon, prince de Condé. When he emigrated during the Revolution, the Château was confiscated by the French state. In 1806
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
granted the chateau to the
Legion d'Honneur
The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...
and it became a school for the daughters of the chevaliers of the order.
[Visitors' Guide to the Museum of the Renaissance ] Eugène de Beauharnais
Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (; 3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824) was a French nobleman, statesman, and military commander who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.
Through the second marr ...
erected the Fontaine Hortense in the park. However, after the restoration of
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...
the estate was returned to
Louis Henri, Prince of Condé
Louis Henri Joseph de Bourbon (13 April 1756 – 30 August 1830) was the Prince of Condé from 1818 to his death. He was the brother-in-law of Philippe Égalité and nephew of Victoire de Rohan.
Life
Louis Henri was the only son of Louis ...
. He left it to
Sophie Dawes, Baronne de Feuchères
Sophie Dawes (29 September 1790 – 15 December 1840), '' Baroness de Feuchères'' by marriage, was an English "adventuress" best known as a mistress of Louis Henry II, Prince of Condé.
Early life
Dawes was born in 1790 at St Helens, Isle o ...
, on condition that she used it to establish an orphanage for the descendants of soldiers in his army, with his residuary heir,
Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale
Henri Eugène Philippe Louis d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale (16 January 1822 – 7 May 1897) was a leader of the Orleanists, a political faction in 19th-century France associated with constitutional monarchy. He was born in Paris, the fifth son of K ...
, to pay for the running costs. She died in 1840.
[Victor Macclure, ''She Stands Accused'' (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1935)]
Chapter 5: Almost a lady
/ref> Little use was made of the property until 1850, ten years after the death of Dawes, when Louis Napoléon Bonaparte decided to reestablish the school of the Legion d'Honneur there, and it continued to serve this purpose until 1962. In 1862, the château was declared a Monument historique. In 1969, Minister of Culture André Malraux
Georges André Malraux ( , ; 3 November 1901 – 23 November 1976) was a French novelist, art theorist, and Minister of Culture (France), minister of cultural affairs. Malraux's novel ''La Condition Humaine'' (Man's Fate) (1933) won the Prix Go ...
proposed that the château become the home of the collection of Renaissance art of the Cluny Museum, and in 1977 it opened as the French National Museum of the Renaissance.
Chateau-decouen.jpg, The Chateau viewed from the air
Château Écouen 35.jpg, Facade of the north wing, with the peristyle by Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
covering the stairway to the royal apartments
Portail château d'écouen.jpg, Original entry portal, with equestrian statue of Anne de Montmorency, drawn by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau
Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau, also given as Du Cerceau, DuCerceau, or Ducerceau (1510–1584) was a well-known French designer of architecture, ornament, furniture, metalwork and other decorative designs during the 16th century, and the founder ...
Ecouen Chateau 02.jpg, Courtyard entrance to the south wing, attributed to Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
.
ChateauEcouenAileSud.jpg, Courtyard entrance to the north wing, attributed to Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
, a very early use of the Colossal order of columns in Renaissance architecture, with niches for Michelangelo's statues, "The Slaves".
The entrance wing and the courtyard
The present neoclassical entrance wing is a late addition, constructed after Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé
Louis Joseph de Bourbon (9 August 1736 – 13 May 1818) was Prince of Condé from 1740 to his death. A member of the House of Bourbon, he held the prestigious rank of '' Prince du Sang''.
Youth
Born on 9 August 1736 at Chantilly, Louis J ...
, decided in 1787 to demolish the original gateway, which was surmounted by a statue of Montmorency, in order to have a better view of the garden. The new neoclassical entrance wing was completed in 1807 by the architect Antoine-François Peyre.
The central courtyard received major additions during the reign of Henry II of France
Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder bro ...
. These included two new peristyles on the interior of the north and south wings, by Jean Bullant
Jean Bullant (1515 – 13 October 1578) was a French architect and sculptor who built the tombs of Anne de Montmorency, Grand Connétable of France, Henri II, and Catherine de' Medici. He also worked on the Tuileries, the Louvre, and th ...
, installed to rebalance the facades after the enlargement of the stairway to the royal apartment in the north wing. These new peristyles were early examples of French Renaissance architecture
French Renaissance architecture is a style which was prominent between the late 15th and early 17th centuries in the Kingdom of France. It succeeded French Gothic architecture. The style was originally imported from Italy after the Hundred Years ...
, influenced by the Italian work of Bramante
Donato Bramante ( , , ; 1444 – 11 April 1514), born as Donato di Pascuccio d'Antonio and also known as Bramante Lazzari, was an Italian architect and painter. He introduced Renaissance architecture to Milan and the High Renaissance style ...
, and decorated with classical orders of columns and niches for statuary. The entrance to the stairway to the King's apartments was originally flanked by two statues by Michelangelo, ''The Slaves'', which were gifts to Montmorency from Henry II. The originals are now in the Louvre Museum
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
. The entrance to the apartments of the King and Queen is decorated with the crescent emblem of Henry II and the rainbow emblem of Catherine de Medicis.
Bullant is also credited with designing the central peristyle on the exterior of the North Wing, which covers the loggias of the monumental stairway. It has a classical pediment, large windows, orders of columns, and horizontal bands of sculptural decoration.
Interior decoration
Much of the original decoration has disappeared, but some striking examples remain in the state rooms on the first floor, particularly the cabinet of the apartments of the King in the north wing and the library of the Constable, located over the chapel. These decorations include painted fireplaces that date to the reign of Henri II, featuring Biblical or historic scenes surrounded by mythical characters and animals, and cascades of fruit and vegetables. Notable examples are the fireplace in the Hall of Arms, illustrating the story of Solomon and Sheba
''Solomon and Sheba'' is a 1959 American epic historical romance film directed by King Vidor, shot in Technirama (color by Technicolor), and distributed by United Artists. The film dramatizes events described in The Bible—the tenth chapter of ...
, and the chimney of the ''Salle des cuirs des Héroes romaines'', which illustrates ''the Tribute to Caesar''. Other walls have frescoes of polychrome designs based on the Constable's coats of arms. These heraldic designs, in color, highlight the more sober grisaille
Grisaille ( or ; french: grisaille, lit=greyed , from ''gris'' 'grey') is a painting executed entirely in shades of grey or of another neutral greyish colour. It is particularly used in large decorative schemes in imitation of sculpture. Many g ...
patterns of the stained glass windows, which are also from the reign of Henri II.
Some of the state rooms have sections of their original tile floors, made of polychrome faience tiles by Masséot Abaquesne. Some rooms, particularly the cabinet in the rooms of the King and the library, over the chapel, also have some of their original carved wood panelling, featuring the emblem of Montmorency intertwined with Moorish and arabesque
The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...
designs.
The Constable's apartments and Chapel
The chapel, on the ground floor of the south wing, was stripped of its furnishings during the French Revolution. The original stained glass windows and wood paneling are now in the Chateau of Chantilly. The chapel retains the ceiling of arched rib vaults decorated with the painted coats-of-arms of Montmorency and his wife, Madeleine of Savoy. The chapel features a very early copy of the ''Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
'' by Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
, painted in Milan between 1506 and 1509 by Marco d'Oggiono
Marco d'Oggiono (c. 1470 – c. 1549) was an Italian Renaissance painter and a chief pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, many of whose works he copied.Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Marco D'Oggione", ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (New York: Robert Appl ...
, a pupil of DaVinci. It hung in the chapel during the time of Montmorency.
Ceiling chapel Château d'Écouen n01.jpg, Ceiling of the Chapel, with the coats-of-arms of Montmorency and Madeleine of Savoy
Écouen (95), chapelle, rdc, chapelle 4.jpg, Chapel altarpiece of gilded carved wood and panel of painted enamel biblical scenes by Léonard Limosin
The Last Supper-copy-Marco-Oggiono-.jpg, Copy of ''Last Supper
Image:The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci - High Resolution 32x16.jpg, 400px, alt=''The Last Supper'' by Leonardo da Vinci - Clickable Image, Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art have been undertaken by artistic masters for centuries, ...
'' made by Marco Oggiono, pupil of DaVinci (1506-1509). It hung in the chapel in the time of Montmorency
Écouen (95), château, étage, appt du connétable 5.jpg, Fireplace in the Hall of Arms of the Constable, ''Solomon and the Queen of Sheba'' (about 1550)
Tribute to Caesar Fireplace, Chateau d'Ecouen.jpg, Tribute to Caesar fireplace, Salles des cuirs des Heros romains, (about 1550)
Apartments of the King and Queen
Traces of the original decoration are found in the apartments of the King and Queen. The King's bedchamber still has some of the original painted monograms of Henry II, a crescent moon, on the ceiling. The painted fireplace in his bedchamber shows a biblical scene, beneath his coat of arms held by two cherubs. His bedchamber also has two tapestries from the series called ''David and Bathsheba''.
Écouen (95), château, étage, chambre du Roi, cheminée.jpg, Fireplace in the bedchamber of the King, with a Biblical scene and the coat of arms of Henry II of France
Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder bro ...
Pavement tiles Masseot Abaquesne MNR SN.jpg, Polychrome ceramic floor tiles by Masséot Abaquesne in the royal apartments
Écouen (95), château, étage, chambre du Roi, frise.jpg, Painted frieze in the bedroom of the King
Écouen (95), château, étage, grande salle du Roi 2.jpg, Fireplace in the Great Hall of the King
Collections of the Museum of the Renaissance
The museum collections have a history of their own, separate from the château. The first collections were originally acquired by the French state in 1843 from Alexandre Du Sommerard (1779-1842), Counselor and Master of the Cour-des Comptes, who assembled a very large collection of objects from Antiquity until the French Renaissance. After his death, these became the heart of the collection of the new Cluny Museum in Paris. Under the supervision of the museum's new curator, Edmond Du Sommerard, Alexandre's son, many other objects were donated or purchased, until the collection was much too large to display adequately.
The Cluny Museum re-opened after the German occupation in World War II, and a long debate began on where to put the Renaissance Art. This was not settled until 1969, when the Culture Minister André Malraux
Georges André Malraux ( , ; 3 November 1901 – 23 November 1976) was a French novelist, art theorist, and Minister of Culture (France), minister of cultural affairs. Malraux's novel ''La Condition Humaine'' (Man's Fate) (1933) won the Prix Go ...
proposed opening a new museum in the Château d'Écouen. The chateau, which had been stripped of almost all art, was renovated by architects of the '' Monument historiques'',
The new collection was chosen from among the objects of the Cluny collection based on chronology and style. The Ecouen museum received Italian Renaissance works created after 1400 and other works after 1500. The new museum also received two important works from the Louvre Museum
The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...
, ''The Last Supper'' by Marco d'Oggiono
Marco d'Oggiono (c. 1470 – c. 1549) was an Italian Renaissance painter and a chief pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, many of whose works he copied.Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Marco D'Oggione", ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (New York: Robert Appl ...
and the Retable of the Passion by Pierre Raymond. The first galleries of the new museum opened in October 1977. A number of rooms have been furnished with objects suitable for the use of different historical figures from the history of the château. A series of small, focussed exhibitions have been staged at Écouen over the years since the museum opened completely in 1982.
Stained glass
Most of the original stained glass of the château was removed in the 18th and 19th centuries (some is now in the Château of Chantilly), but the museum displays some remarkable glass from other sites. Many of the windows feature emblems of the King or Constable or other personalities in colored glass, in the middle of windows which are largely clear or in muted colors. Other windows use a full range of rich colors.
Among the notable works in the collection is a portrait of King Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
in prayer, by Nicolas Beaurain, made in about 1551-1556. It was commissioned by Henry II of France
Henry II (french: Henri II; 31 March 1519 – 10 July 1559) was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559. The second son of Francis I and Duchess Claude of Brittany, he became Dauphin of France upon the death of his elder bro ...
in 1549 to decorate Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes
The Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes is a Gothic royal chapel within the fortifications of the Château de Vincennes on the east edge of Paris, France. It was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle, the royal chapel within the Palais de la Cité in Paris. ...
for the ceremonies of the Order of Saint-Michel, an order he founded. Most of the stained glass windows in the chapel were destroyed during the French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, but this portion survived. It is notable especially for fine detail and shading of the colors, especially in the figure and costume of the King.
Another significant work in the collection is a stained-glass depiction of a scene from the life of Saint Paul, showing Saint Paul being chased from the Temple in Jerusalem. It is one of two scenes by Louis Pinaigrier and Nicolas Charnus (first third of the 17th century). It was formerly in Paris, in the Church of Saint-Paul, which was destroyed in 1797, not long after the French Revolution.
Ecouen Musée national de la Renaissance7198.JPG, Window with emblem of Montmorency in center
Ecouen Musée national de la Renaissance7175.JPG, Coat of arms with angels, originally in the windows of the Saint-Chapelle chapel in Vincennes
Ecouen Musée national de la Renaissance7177.JPG, Posthumous portrait of Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
in prayer by Nicolas Beaurain (1551-1556)
Stained glass-Saint-Paul-Ecouen.jpg, ''Arrest of Saint Paul in Jerusalem'', by Louis Pinaigrier and Nicolas Charnus, (last third of 17th century)
Tapestries
The collection of tapestries includes ten tapestries from the series '' David and Bathsheba'', made in Brussels in 1520-1525 after designs by Jan Van Roome. Together, they measure seventy-five meters in length. They depict the Biblical story, but the costumes and settings are of the 16th century, and the tapestries give a detailed view of court life at the time. The identity of the original patron is not known, but Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
purchased them in 1528.
Other notable tapestries include ''Fructus Belli'' (''Fruits of War''), from the workshop of Jehan Baudouin in Brussels, after a design by Giulio Romano
Giulio Romano (, ; – 1 November 1546), is the acquired name of Giulio Pippi, who was an Italian painter and architect. He was a pupil of Raphael, and his stylistic deviations from High Renaissance classicism help define the sixteenth-cent ...
. It was commissioned in 1544 by Ferrante Gonzaga
Ferrante I Gonzaga (also Ferdinando I Gonzaga; 28 January 1507 – 15 November 1557) was an Italian condottiero, a member of the House of Gonzaga and the founder of the branch of the Gonzaga of Guastalla.
Biography
He was born in Mantua, th ...
, the Duke of Guastalla
Guastalla ( Guastallese: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Reggio Emilia in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
Geography
Guastalla is situated in the Po Valley, and lies on the banks of the Po River. Guastalla is located at around from the citie ...
and chief of the armies of the Emperor Charles V of Austria, and depicts soldiers being paid. It shows the growing influence of Italian art on Flemish tapestries.
Italian tapestries are also represented, including "The life of a man" by Benedetto Squilli of Florence, after a painting by Jan Van der Straet. It was originally made for the Medici family for the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, as part of cycle conceived by Georgio Vasari.
Bathsheba at the Fountain from David and Bathsheba MNRenaissance E.Cl.1614 n01.jpg, ''Bathsheba at the Fountain'' from the series David and Bathsheba (1520-1525)
Fructus Belli MNR Ec.101a n02.jpg, Detail of the ''Fructus Belli'' (Fruits of War) tapestry, in the Great Hall of the King (1544)
Écouen (95), château, étage, chambre de Madeleine de Savoie 1.jpg, Scene from ''The Life of a Man'', workshop of Benedetto Squilli, Florence (about 1564)
Paintings
The collection of paintings includes work by Toussaint Dubreuil (c. 1561—22 November 1602) a French Mannerist painter associated (from 1594) with the second School of Fontainebleau
The School of Fontainbleau (french: École de Fontainebleau) (c. 1530 – c. 1610) refers to two periods of artistic production in France during the late Renaissance centered on the royal Palace of Fontainebleau that were crucial in forming the No ...
(together with the artists Martin Fréminet and Ambroise Dubois) and Italianism, a transitional art style. Many of Dubreuil's subjects include mythological scenes and scenes from works of fiction by such writers as the Italian Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso ( , also , ; 11 March 154425 April 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem ''Gerusalemme liberata'' ( Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between ...
, the ancient Greek novelist Heliodorus of Emesa
Heliodorus Emesenus or Heliodorus of Emesa ( grc, Ἡλιόδωρος ὁ Ἐμεσηνός) is the author of the ancient Greek novel called the ''Aethiopica'' () or ''Theagenes and Chariclea'' (), which has been dated to the 220s or 370s AD.
Ide ...
and French poet Pierre de Ronsard
Pierre de Ronsard (; 11 September 1524 – 27 December 1585) was a French poet or, as his own generation in France called him, a " prince of poets".
Early life
Pierre de Ronsard was born at the Manoir de la Possonnière, in the village of ...
.
One of the most notable paintings is the ''Voyage of Ulysses'' by the Italian Guidoccio Cozzarelli
Guidoccio Cozzarelli (1450–1517) was an Italian Renaissance painter and miniaturist.
Cozzarelli was born in Siena, and was a student and collaborator of Matteo di Giovanni, with whom it is sometimes possible to confuse him due to their simil ...
of Sienna
Sienna (from it, terra di Siena, meaning "Siena earth") is an earth pigment containing iron oxide and manganese oxide. In its natural state, it is yellowish brown and is called raw sienna. When heated, it becomes a reddish brown and is call ...
, from about 1480. Painted on a wood panel, it was originally attached to a large chest, and was intended to be placed in the bedroom of newlyweds, to remind the bride about the virtue of faithfulness. The painting, based on the ''Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', th ...
'' of Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
, depicts Ulysses' wife, Penelope
Penelope ( ; Ancient Greek: Πηνελόπεια, ''Pēnelópeia'', or el, Πηνελόπη, ''Pēnelópē'') is a character in Homer's ''Odyssey.'' She was the queen of Ithaca and was the daughter of Spartan king Icarius and naiad Periboea. Pe ...
, faithfully waiting for her husband's return from his twenty years of voyaging.
Guidoccio Cozzarelli - le voyage d'Ulysse.jpg, The ''Voyage of Ulysses'', by Guidoccio Cozzarelli
Guidoccio Cozzarelli (1450–1517) was an Italian Renaissance painter and miniaturist.
Cozzarelli was born in Siena, and was a student and collaborator of Matteo di Giovanni, with whom it is sometimes possible to confuse him due to their simil ...
(about 1480)
16th-century painters - August from an Book of Hours - WGA15913.jpg, 'August' - miniature from a Book of Hours (about 1520)
La montée du calvaire - dubreuil - ecouen.jpg, 'The Ascent of Calvary by Toussaint Dubreuil (end of 16th century)
Noël Bellemare et atelier - Le Calvaire avec François Poncher en prière.jpg, ''The Crucifixion'' by Noël Bellemare and workshop (about 1519-26). It depicts the Bishop of Paris, François Poncher, in prayer.
Furniture and paneling
The museum displays an important collection of carved wood furniture and panels, which illustrate the art of the French wood carving and decoration, as well as the influence of Italian artists working in France, particularly Rosso Fiorentino
Giovanni Battista di Jacopo (8 March 1495 in Gregorian style, or 1494 according to the calculation of times in Florence where the year began on 25 March – 14 November 1540), known as Rosso Fiorentino (meaning "Red Florentine" in Italian) ...
, responsible for much of the interior decoration of the Palace of Fontainebleau
Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence ...
.
The works in the collection show the transition of furniture from the medieval period to the Renaissance, through with the addition of an abundance of carved ornaments in classical forms, such as medallions, grotesques and architectural orders, making pieces of furniture such as chests, dressers, tables and chairs into works of sculpture. Engravings of Italian paintings and sculpture often served as models. The collection also includes numerous panels which were preserved from works that were dismantled. The collection presents especially works from the regions of Ile-de-France, Lorraine, Champagne and Burgundy, which were heavily forested and had the workshops of numerous skilled artisans making both religious and civil furniture.
Écouen (95), château, étage, appt du connétable 8.jpg, A ''dressoir'' from the Château of Joinville (1524), designed to hold formal table settings, with a combination of gothic and Renaissance ornament
Écouen (95), château, rdc, chambre de Catherine de Medicis 6.jpg, Carved chest in the bedroom of the Queen, with architectural decoration
Écouen (95), château, étage, appt du connétable 2.jpg, ''Dressoir'' in the apartment of the Grand Constable
Ecouen Musée national de la Renaissance219.JPG, Carved paneling
Écouen (95), château, étage, appt du connétable 3.jpg, Carved chair, apartment of the Grand Constable
Écouen (95), château, rdc, cusines, 2e pièce, clôture de chœur de Gaillon 2.jpg, Carved screen from the choir of the chapel of the Château de Gaillon
The Château de Gaillon is a French Renaissance castle located in Gaillon, Normandy region of France.
History
The somewhat battered and denuded Château de Gaillon, begun in 1502 on ancient foundations was the summer archiepiscopal residence of G ...
in Normandy
Ceramics
The museum has a notable collection of 16th-century French ceramics, mostly designed as luxury dishware, in place of gold or silver. Ceramic tile was also used extensively on floors and walls of châteaux like Écouen. At Écouen, some of the original floors are still in place, including a section in the royal bed chamber and in the salon of the King. These pavements were commissioned from an artist of Rouen, Masséot Abaquesne, in about 1549-1551.
A section of ceramic floor from the Château of Polisy, dated 1545 and demolished after the Revolution, is on display. It was commissioned by the bishop of Auxerre, François de Dinteville, for one of his residences. The design was inspired by the Italian artist, Sebastiano Serlio
Sebastiano Serlio (6 September 1475 – c. 1554) was an Italian Mannerist architect, who was part of the Italian team building the Palace of Fontainebleau. Serlio helped canonize the classical orders of architecture in his influential trea ...
, and is based on the coat of arms of the family, with illustrations of the family motto, "Fortune and Virtue".
The collection also includes a number of works from the atelier of Bernard Palissy
Bernard Palissy (c. 1510c. 1589) was a French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain. He is best known for his so-called "rusticware", typically highly decor ...
at the site of the Tuileries Palace
The Tuileries Palace (french: Palais des Tuileries, ) was a royal and imperial palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine, directly in front of the Louvre. It was the usual Parisian residence of most French monarchs, f ...
in Paris. Palissy was famous for his long and unsuccessful effort to imitate Chinese porcelain. His primary success was his series of rustic plates, often depicting fish and sea life.
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, salle de céramique française, carreaux de pavement du château 2.jpg, Section of original pavement at Écouen (1549-1551)
Deluge masseot abaquesne faience ecouen.jpg, Faience mural of Noah and the Deluge, by Masseot Abaquesne
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, salle de céramique française, aiguière, atelier dit de Saint-Porchaire, avant 1558.jpg, An ''aiguière'' with a satyr handle and reptile spout, by the workshop of Saint-Porchaire (1545-1558)
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, salle de céramique française, plat rustique, Bernard Palissy, vers 1565.jpg, Rustic plate by Bernard Palissy
Bernard Palissy (c. 1510c. 1589) was a French Huguenot potter, hydraulics engineer and craftsman, famous for having struggled for sixteen years to imitate Chinese porcelain. He is best known for his so-called "rusticware", typically highly decor ...
(about 1565)
Enamels
The craft of painted enamel is particularly well represented in the museum. The major center of this production was Limoges, where enamel had been produced since the 12th century. A new variation was introduced at the end of the 15th century, and it became particularly popular among royal and noble collectors. It involved copper plates, with a layer of flat enamel on one side and a polychrome painting made with layers of colored enamel on the other side. The most important artists in this style and period included Léonard Limosin, whose family produced seven enamel painters. He created series of enamels for Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to:
* Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407)
* Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450
* Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547
* Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...
and Henry II. His work included portraits of mythological and religious figures, as well as portraits of the major figures of the Court. He also created the enamels of religious scenes on the altar table in the chapel.
Another important French enamel painter from Limoges was Pierre Courteys
Pierre Courteys (d. 1602? ) was a French enamel painter, working in Limoges.
Life
Courteys, one of the best enamel painters of Limoges, and an excellent designer and colourist, was probably a disciple of Pierre Reymond. The dates affixed to hi ...
, who made a series of portraits of mythological figures of unusually large size. The example of ''Mercury'' in the museum collection is signed and dated 1559. Its inspiration appears to be a similar series created for the Palace of Fontainebleau
Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence ...
by Rosso Fiorentino
Giovanni Battista di Jacopo (8 March 1495 in Gregorian style, or 1494 according to the calculation of times in Florence where the year began on 25 March – 14 November 1540), known as Rosso Fiorentino (meaning "Red Florentine" in Italian) ...
. Another important artist with work in the collection is Suzanne de Court
Suzanne de Court (''fl.'' 1600) was a French enamel painter in the Limoges workshops, probably running a workshop of some size producing pieces of the highest quality. She was the only identifiable woman signing Limoges pieces, though this may ...
, also from a family of enamel painters in Limoges. She was one of the few women artists who were permitted by guild rules to sign their work with their full names.
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, salle Arts du feu, Psyché et l'Amour à table, émail sur cuivre, Léonard Limosin, 1543.jpg, Psyche and Amour at the table, Enamel by Léonard Limosin (1543)
Antoinette de Bourbon Limousin.jpg, Enamel portrait of Antoinette de Bourbon, Duchess of Guise, by Léonard Limosin.
Écouen (95), château, étage, cabinet du Roi, émaux de Pierre Courteys (1559), Mercurius.jpg, Painted enamel plaque by Pierre Courteys
Pierre Courteys (d. 1602? ) was a French enamel painter, working in Limoges.
Life
Courteys, one of the best enamel painters of Limoges, and an excellent designer and colourist, was probably a disciple of Pierre Reymond. The dates affixed to hi ...
(1559)
Écouen (95), château, étage, cabinet du Roi, émaux de Pierre Courteys (1559), Jupiter.jpg, Jupiter, by Pierre Courteys
Pierre Courteys (d. 1602? ) was a French enamel painter, working in Limoges.
Life
Courteys, one of the best enamel painters of Limoges, and an excellent designer and colourist, was probably a disciple of Pierre Reymond. The dates affixed to hi ...
(1559)
Jewelry, goldsmithing and silversmithing
The museum displays works of some of the most celebrated goldsmiths and silversmiths of the Renaissance. One notable example is the statuette of Daphne
Daphne (; ; el, Δάφνη, , ), a minor figure in Greek mythology, is a naiad, a variety of female nymph associated with fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of freshwater.
There are several versions of the myth in whi ...
by Wenzel Jamnitzer
Wenzel Jamnitzer (sometimes Jamitzer, or Wenzel ''Gemniczer'') (1507/1508 – 19 December 1585) was a Northern Mannerist goldsmith, artist, and printmaker in etching, who worked in Nuremberg. He was the best known German goldsmith of his e ...
, a German craftsman from Nuremberg
Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
, goldsmith to the Holy Roman Emperors. It was made between 1569 and 1576. It portrays the Greek myth of Apollo and Daphne
Apollo and Daphne is a transformation myth from ancient Greek mythology, retold by Hellenistic and Roman authors in the form of an amorous vignette.
History
The earliest known source of this myth is Parthenius, a Greek poet who lived during t ...
, from the ''Metamorphoses'' of Ovid
Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...
, which was a popular subject in the Renaissance. The nymph Daphne is transformed into a laurel tree by her father, to protect her from the pursuing Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label= Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label ...
. The statuette is made of gilded silver, with branches made of red coral
Corals are marine invertebrates within the class Anthozoa of the phylum Cnidaria. They typically form compact colonies of many identical individual polyps. Coral species include the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and ...
with touches of silver paint.
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, cabinet d'orfèvrerie, nautile monté en coupe, argent doré, Allemagne, début XVIIe s.jpg, A nautilus
The nautilus (, ) is a pelagic marine mollusc of the cephalopod family Nautilidae. The nautilus is the sole extant family of the superfamily Nautilaceae and of its smaller but near equal suborder, Nautilina.
It comprises six living species in ...
figure mounted on a cup, made of gilded silver (Germany, beginning of 17th century)
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, cabinet d'orfèvrerie, statuette de Daphné, Wenzel Jamnitzer, Nuremberg, vers 1570.jpg, Statuette of Daphné by Wenzel Jamnitzer
Wenzel Jamnitzer (sometimes Jamitzer, or Wenzel ''Gemniczer'') (1507/1508 – 19 December 1585) was a Northern Mannerist goldsmith, artist, and printmaker in etching, who worked in Nuremberg. He was the best known German goldsmith of his e ...
(1569-76). Gilded silver and coral.
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, cabinet d'orfèvrerie, coupe sur pied, argent doré et ivoire, Daniel Zech, Augsbourg.jpg, Cup of gilded silver and ivory, by Daniel Zech of Augsburg
Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ...
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, cabinet d'orfèvrerie, bouteille à chaînes, argent doré et verre blanc, Nuremberg ou Europe du nord.jpg, Bottle with gilded chain and decoration, from Nuremberg
Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...
or Northern Europe
Arms and armor
The Museum has an exceptional collection of arms and armor, including the gilded ceremonial spurs of Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
, decorated with his emblem, the salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...
. These spurs, made in 1515-1525, were made in the first decade of his reign, and were displayed at his funeral in 1547. Another piece in the collection is a ''dosseret'' with a high collar, decorated with images of the Minevra and Mars, the deities of war. It was designed to protect the back of the neck, and could be worn either with a suit of armor or as a collar with formal court dress. The collection in the Hall of Arms includes a ceremonial ''rondache'' or buckler, a round ceremonial shield, of iron decorated with silver and gold, made in Italy for Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, showing the enemy soldiers he had conquered submitting to him.
Spurs of Francois I Chateau d'Ecouen.jpg, Ceremonial spurs of Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
(1515-1525)
Écouen (95), château, rdc, salle des armes et armures 5.jpg, Armored gloves
Shield of Charles V 1555 NMR.jpg, ''Rondache'' or buckler of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Italy, 1555
Backplate gorget MNRenaissance E.Cl.2751.jpg, A ''dosseret'' or back plate for protecting the back of the neck, with figures of Mars and Minerva (end of 16th century)
Scientific instruments, clocks and mechanical devices
The museum houses one of the most important European collections of Renaissance scientific instruments, including examples of the astrolabe. clocks, globes, the solar cadran and automatons. One of the most famous items is the mechanical model ship, called the ''Nef of Charles V'', made in about 1590 and attributed to Hans Schlottheim, which originally was in the cabinet of curiosities of the Elector of Saxe in Dresden
Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label= Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth ...
. It contains a clock which activates seven different mechanisms, sounds the quarter hour, and sets the mechanical figures in motion: Tiny trumpeters and drummers play, the electors of the Holy Roman Empire promenade in a circle around the Emperor on his throne on the stern of the ship, and the tiny cannons fire. The display includes a video that shows all of mechanisms functioning.
Other objects in the collection include an astrolabic clock attributed to Jean Naze, a clock maker from Lyon. It indicates the time, the course of the sun, the phases of the moon and the positions of the stars. Other objects include a cone-shaped cup that functions as a sundial and an enigmatic mechanical device with rows of small turning wheels, placed inside what appeared to be a book. It bears the emblems and symbols of Henry II of France, and is thought to have been an early coding device. It was made about 1547-1559.[''Musée National de la Renaissance, Château d'Écouen, Guide des collections'', Éditions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, (2017), p. 117]
Écouen (95), château, 2e étage, bibliothèque du connétable, sphère céleste, anonyme, 1502.jpg, Celestial sphere showing constellations (1502)
Écouen (95), château, rdc, salle n° 10, nef dite de Charles Quint 2.jpg, Mechanical model ship made for Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infa ...
(about 1590)
Rooms
Écouen (95), château, étage, grande salle du Roi 1.jpg, Grand hall of the King
Écouen (95), château, étage, appt du connétable 9.jpg, The ''Appartement du connétable'', Anne de Montmorency
Écouen (95), château, étage, chambre de Madeleine de Savoie 4.jpg, Room of Madeleine of Savoy
Madeleine of Savoy (1510–1586) was a French court official, and the wife of constable Anne de Montmorency, a leading soldier and politician, whom she married in 1526. After she was widowed in 1567 she served as ''Première dame d'honneur'' to ...
, his wife
Notes
Bibliography
* ''Musée National de la Renaissance, Château d'Écouen, Guide des collections'', Éditions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, (2017), (in French),
* ''Le Guide du Patrimoine en France: Monuments Historiques'', Éditions du Patrimoine, Centre des Monuments Nationaux, Paris (2002), (in French),
External links
Official website of the Musée national de la Renaissance
Château d'Ecouen, National Museum of the Renaissance
- The official website of France (in English)
Château d’Écouen and history, lot pictures, in french
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chateau D'ecouen
Ecouen, Chateau d'
Art museums and galleries in Île-de-France
Museums in Val-d'Oise
Renaissance architecture in France
Houses completed in 1550
Decorative arts museums in France
World War II museums in France
1550 establishments in France
Réunion des Musées Nationaux