File:Castles and chateaux of old Burgundy and the border provinces (1909) (14784008302).jpg

Identifier: castleschateauxo00mans (find matches)
Title: Castles and chateaux of old Burgundy and the border provinces
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Mansfield, Milburg Francisco, 1871- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Castles
Publisher: Boston, L. C. Page & company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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-le-Franc on the plans of Primataccio, probablyin 1545, certainly not later, though the exactdate appears to be doubtful. That Primatacciomay have designed the building there is littledoubt, as he is definitely known to have con-tributed to the royal chateaux of Fontainebleauand Chambord. For a matter of three-quartersof a century the edifice was in the constructionperiod however, and since Primataccio died in1570 it is improbable that he carried out thedecorations, a class of work upon which hemade his great reputation, for the simple rea-son that they were additions or interpolationswhich came near the end of the constructionperiod. This observation probably holds truewith the decorations attributed to the Italian atneighbouring Tanlay. It may be that Prima-taccio only furnished sketches for these decora-tions and that another hand actually executedthem. Historical records are often vague andindefinite with regard to such matters. Again,since Primataccio was chiefly known as a deco-
Text Appearing After Image:
fen o Tonnerrej Tanlay and Ancy-le-Franc 97 rator the doubt is justly cast upon Ms actuallyhaving been the designer of Ancy-le-Franc. Itis all very vague, one must admit that, in spiteof claims and counterclaims. All things considered, this chateau ranks asone of the most notable in these parts. Thesurrounding walls bathe their forefoot in thewaters of the Armangon and thus give it a de-fence of value and importance, though the prop-erty was never used for anything more than aluxurious country dwelling. Built, or at any rate designed, by an artistwho was above all a painter, its walls and pla-fonds naturally took on an abundance of deco-rative detail. For this reason the chateau ofAncy-le-Franc, if for no other, is indeed re-markable. Two of its great rooms have beencelebrated for centuries among art-lovers andexperts, the Chambre des Fleurs, with its elab-orately panelled ceiling, and that of PastorFido, whose walls show eight great paintingsdepicting the scenes of a pastoral romance

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