Francis I – Warrior King and
Patron of Art
This year France celebrates the cultural
and artistic heritage from the reign of
Francis I. After an exhibition in Paris has
ended, Chantilly offers insights into the
life of the king and his reign.
How did Francis I – who was victorious at Marignano in 1515 but defeated ten years later in Pavia – save
his reign? By becoming a patron of the arts and a protector of literature. “The century of Francis I”
exhibition at Chantilly illustrates the extraordinary impetus the king gave to literature and arts.
Illuminated manuscripts, architectural drawings, paintings and decorative art objects demonstrate the
immense cultural influence of the man, who won the battle of Marignano but was defeated at Pavia.
The Century of Francis I
Portrait of Francis I by Jean Clouet..
Musée Condé
In 2015 France Francis I is honoured for his services to culture and humanism. As the ultimate
Renaissance Prince – pace his contenders to this throne: Henry VIII and Charles V – he surrounded
himself with scholars and scientists, and the greatest artists of his time were drawn to him. He worked on
an unprecedented scale to enhance the royal collections, encouraging the distribution of books and
formalising the French language.
“The century of Francis I” exhibition demonstrates how Francis I sought compensation through art and
culture. In so doing, the French monarch became a key figure of his century, surrounded by artists,
humanists and printers.
Some 200 pieces are exhibited, allowing visitors to gain a better understanding of the high points of his
reign. They provide an opportunity to plunge into the universe of the king and discover his family and his
court in the drawings of Jean and François Clouet; or to compare the portrait of the King by Clouet,
which has been lent by the Louvre museum, with sketches of it kept at Chantilly.
But it is perhaps the collection of the books of the king, which merits the largest interest. Here visitors
will be invited to explore Francis I’s cultural enthusiasm, spirit and ambition. The King’s Book Collection
at Chantilly is the second largest collection of works that belonged to Francis I, next to that of the
National Library of France (heir to the former royal library). Exhibiting these works will enable visitors to
discover the king’s favourite books, as well as certain manuscripts that are veritable emblems of the art
of illumination that can only be viewed in Chantilly. This part of the exhibition may be enhanced by
another ongoing exhibition at Blois.
In particular, the first three books of Diodorus of Sicily and two of the three volumes of the
Commentaries on the Gallic War, illuminated by Godefroy le Batave and the extremely rare Discourse on
War and Peace by Machiavelli, printed in 1544 should be mentioned.
Presented together for the first time ever in the Jeu de Paume at Chantilly books, paintings, decorative
arts, gold and silverware, drawings and prints illustrate the invention of the unique French relationship
between power and culture, which is the living legacy of Francis I.
VISIT:
The Century of Francis I
Exhibition at Domaine de Chantilly
07.09.2015 – 07.12.2015
VISIT MORE:
Francis I King of France 1515 – 2015
Exhibition in Paris and general presentation of the anniversary
Royal Treasures of Francis I of France’s library
Château de Blois
04.07.2015 – 18.10.2015
READ MORE:
François Ier : le roi-chevalier
By Georges Bordonove
Pygmalion 2013
ISBN: 9782756409504
VISIT:
The Century of Francis I
Domaine de Chantilly
07.09.2015 – 07.12.2015
VISIT MORE:
Francis I of France 1515 – 2015
FEATURED PHOTO:
Detail from: Les Trois premiers livres de Diodore Sicilien, historiographe grec Traduit par
Antoine Macault Enluminé par Jean Clouen, Noël Bellemare et le Maître de François de Rohan. Parus en
1534 Bibliothèque et archives du château de Chantilly.