Other Definitions
fontainebleau (dest)
fontainebleau (enc)
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Fontainebleau The main attraction of the village of Fontainebleau is the 16th century hunting castle. The ground of this casle infact cover more ground than the village itself. Used by the Kings of France from the 12th century, the hunting residence of Fontainebleau, at the heart of a vast forest in the Ile- de-France, was transformed, enlarged and embellished in the 16th century by François I, who wanted to make a "New Rome" of it. Surrounded by an immense park, the palace, of Italian inspiration, combines Renaissance and French artistic traditions. The chateau was built from 1528 onwards around the keep of a small medieval chateau. Though François I was the one who, inspired by what he had seen on his conquest of the northern part of Italy, introduced the renaissance to France, Henry II and Catherine de Medici most decisive of the old castle. For the changed and adhered to the original initial plan, which was already the result of successive decisions of Francois I. The Gallery of Francois I, with its frescoes framed in stucco by Rosso, is the first great, decorated gallery built in France or out of Italy and still one of the highlights of the castle. It is said that Catherine de Medici was the great motivator behind the project, for she was homesick and felt not accepted in Paris, for being a descendant of an ordinary doctor and not born in to royalty. Henry II and Catherine de Medici commissioned architects Philibert Delorme and Jean Bullant to redecorate the castle. Italian Mannerist artists Rosso Fiorentino and Primaticcio did additional work in the interior decoration. Their decoration sceme layed the foundation of a tradition now called the School of Fontainebleau. The art of Fontainebleau, was an offshoot of the mannerist style developed in Italy. The style is characterized by a refined elegance, with crowded figural compositions in which painting and elaborate stucco work were closely integrated. The work of the Fontainebleau artists incorporated allegory in accordance with the courtly liking for symbolism. Fontainebleau was a hunting castle, and the hint is displayed in many ways in the ornamentation of the castle and the huge gardens around it. Even though a portion of the formal baroque garden was reshaped into an English styled landscape garden, the original feel can still be sensed. Another innovation of the castle is the giant staircase, which almost like a river flows from the belle etage. It facilitated a whole range of different possibilities the receive gests, all according the their relative importance to the king. All the time the castle was in use, different kings and owners have commissioned redecorations and additions, gradually these additions have changed into restorations. Since the end of last century, work of restoration of the buildings and gardens continued. The now acclaimed Unesco World Heritage monument is especially indebted to the patronage of Rockefeller for the restoration of the “l'Aile de la Belle-Cheminée” (wing of the beautiful chimney). An active policy of purchases made it possible to supplement the collections (porcelain service of the Emperor). Too know all about this monument, you can visit htp://www.chateaudefontainebleau.net
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