Francis I and his Library at
Château de Blois
This year France commemorates the 500year anniversary of one of its more
significant kings, Francis I. Together with
Bibliothèque national de France the
Château de Blois has mounted an
exhibition of his library in its original
surroundings
The Château de Blois is one of the finest castles in the Loire Valley and a must-see for any cultural
th
traveler visiting this part of France. Its history dates back to the 13 century but elements of Renaissance
architecture are most prominent. This is mainly due to Francis I, who on the behest of his wife began an
extensive refurbishing of the castle in 1515. Part of this was also the organization and expansion and of
the massive library there. Already his predecessor had reunited the family collection of the Orléons’, the
collection of Charles VIII’s from Amboise and the books seized from the Visconti-Sforza library during the
Italian campaigns of 1499 and 1500. This was expanded upon by Francis. Accrding to an inventory
from1518 1,626 manuscripts and printed volumes belonged to the collection. Apart from religious texts,
hunting manuals and medieval romances a number of classical texts in Latin were listed. During his
reign, Francis added a number of volumes in Greek and Hebrew.
However, after her death in 1524, Francis moved to the Château de Fontainebleau and with him (in 1544)
went the library. At that point nearly 1900 volumes were listed in an inventory. To this should be added
the personal library of the King, which was unfortunately never inventoried. Later these collections were
incorporated in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
This year, however, his first library has been reconstructed. For the very first time since the 16th century,
the most valuable books from the collection of Francis I have been brought together again. With a
selection of other art objects the 140 books and manuscripts witness to the immense importance of the
book culture of his time.
The Collection
Among the exceptional
presented here are:
works
Les Grandes heures d’Anne de Bretagne with illuminations by Jean
Bourdichon
Les Heures de Louis de Laval illuminated by Jean Colombe
An embroidered Renaissance Book binding
The Robert Estienne Bible printed in 1540
The 9th century Charlemgane Gospels with a binding made for Francis I.
Some of the exhibited books have never been shown publicly before.
The exhibition has been organized around the provenience of the books. Thus the books inherited from
his parents and grandparents are shown apart, while those, which belonged to the king’s private cabinet,
have been kept apart.
The three rooms show examples of the
The Angoulême Inheritance
Here is shown books, which belonged to his parents and
grandparents, but also books used in the upbringing of the future king of
France, Francis I.
The Royal Library at Blois. This collection consisted of volumes acquired
by his ancestors, former kings of France.
The Kings Personal Library
The confiscated books, which belonged to the Bourbon Family
The Italian Library
The Humanist library with Greek and Orientalist books and manuscripts
The King’s private cabinet
The Library
Unknown, Illumination dedicated to a
young prince In: Guillaume Budé,
L’Institution du prince, vers 1518-1519.
BnF, Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, MS-5103,
fol. 1 v°
© Bibliothèque nationale de France
Around 1500 the library at Blois occupied a room between the dry moat and the courtyard, where now
the Gaston d’Orléans wing is found. The room was furnished with two fireplaces at each end with
manuscripts and books laid out on wooden planks placed one on top of the other. Little cupboards held
the most precious volumes.
Surviving contemporary descriptions suggest the way, the library in Blois was organized. A contemporary
described it thus:
“In the castle, or rather Palace, we saw a library consisting of a sizeable room not only furnished with
shelves from end to end but also lined with book-cases from floor to ceiling, and literally packed with
books – to say nothing of those put away in chests in an inner room. These books are all of parchment,
handwritten in beautiful lettering and bound in silk of various colours, with elaborate locks and clasps of
silver gilt”. (Travel Journal of Antonio de Beatis, 1517, p. 133.)
The curators have sought to recreate this atmosphere by using colours from the illuminated opening page
of the Paraphrase d’Erasme sur l’Evangile saint-Matthieu (BnF, Mss., Français 934), by the Parisian
painter Noël Bellemare.
VISIT:
er
Trésors Royaux: La bibliothèque de François I
Château de Blois
04.07.2015 – 18.10.2015
VISIT MORE:
Francis I King of France 1515 – 2015
Exhibition in Paris and general presentation of the anniversary
The Century of Francis I
Exhibition at Domaine de Chantilly
07.09.2015 – 07.12.2015
CATALOGUE:
Trésors royaux – La bibliothèque de François Ier
Ed. by Maxence Hermant
Presses universitaires de Rennes 2015
ISBN/EAN – 9782753541856
FEATURED PHOTO:
Les Grandes heures d’Anne de Bretagne, illuminated at Tours circa 1508 by Jean Bourdichon for the
Queen, Anne of Brittany– BnF, Manuscrits, Latin 9474 © BnF