Château d'Ancy-le-Franc
Encyclopedia
The Château d'Ancy-le-Franc, designed by Sebastiano Serlio
and constructed 1544-1550, is one of the sites where the Italian Renaissance
was introduced, full-blown, to France. The patron was Antoine de Clermont, comte de Tonnerre, the brother-in-law of Diane de Poitiers
and a courtier of François I
The site in the canton of Ancy-le-Franc
near Tonnerre
in Burgundy he inherited from his mother. He demolished the old château-fort
and used some of its foundations. The new structure was symmetrical: four ranges enclose a central court, and at each corner a pavilion
was erected. Though it was never expected to be defensible, French tradition ran so strong that it was surrounded by a moat
. The exteriors of the ranges have a rusticated ground storey, Doric pilasters, niches on the piano nobile
. In the central court, an unbroken corbelled cornice runs above two storeys, where rectangular windows alternate with shell-headed niches that are flanked by double pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Niches that span the corners are an anomaly. On the ground floor the fenestration is in blind arcading. The main door, approached by a flight of steps has a typically Serlian runsticated arch, crammed tightly between pilasters.
The interiors have the richest array of sixteenth-century frescoes and wall-paintings after the Château de Fontainebleau
, attributed to painters such as Primaticcio, Nicolo dell'Abbate and De Hoey. Other frescoes dates back to the beginning of the 17th century and are the work of Philippe Quantin.
Ancy-le-Franc had a parterre
garden centered upon one of its façades.
In 1683, the Clermont sold the château to Louis XIV
's minister Louvois
. His eventual heirs sold it in 1844 to Gaspard-Louis-Aimé de Clermont-Tonnerre, a descendant of the builder. After being the property of the princes of Mérode, and of other owners, it now belongs to Paris Investir, a French company dedicated to the rehabilitation and restoration of the château.
Sebastiano Serlio
Sebastiano Serlio was an Italian Mannerist architect, who was part of the Italian team building the Palace of Fontainebleau...
and constructed 1544-1550, is one of the sites where the Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
was introduced, full-blown, to France. The patron was Antoine de Clermont, comte de Tonnerre, the brother-in-law of Diane de Poitiers
Diane de Poitiers
Diane de Poitiers was a French noblewoman and a prominent courtier at the courts of kings Francis I and his son, Henry II of France. She became notorious as the latter's favourite mistress...
and a courtier of François I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
The site in the canton of Ancy-le-Franc
Ancy-le-Franc
Ancy-le-Franc is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-References:*...
near Tonnerre
Tonnerre
Tonnerre is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Twin town:* Nenagh, North Tipperary, Ireland-References:*...
in Burgundy he inherited from his mother. He demolished the old château-fort
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and used some of its foundations. The new structure was symmetrical: four ranges enclose a central court, and at each corner a pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
was erected. Though it was never expected to be defensible, French tradition ran so strong that it was surrounded by a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
. The exteriors of the ranges have a rusticated ground storey, Doric pilasters, niches on the piano nobile
Piano nobile
The piano nobile is the principal floor of a large house, usually built in one of the styles of classical renaissance architecture...
. In the central court, an unbroken corbelled cornice runs above two storeys, where rectangular windows alternate with shell-headed niches that are flanked by double pilasters with Corinthian capitals. Niches that span the corners are an anomaly. On the ground floor the fenestration is in blind arcading. The main door, approached by a flight of steps has a typically Serlian runsticated arch, crammed tightly between pilasters.
The interiors have the richest array of sixteenth-century frescoes and wall-paintings after the Château de Fontainebleau
Château de Fontainebleau
The Palace of Fontainebleau, located 55 kilometres from the centre of Paris, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The palace as it is today is the work of many French monarchs, building on an early 16th century structure of Francis I. The building is arranged around a series of courtyards...
, attributed to painters such as Primaticcio, Nicolo dell'Abbate and De Hoey. Other frescoes dates back to the beginning of the 17th century and are the work of Philippe Quantin.
Ancy-le-Franc had a parterre
Parterre
A parterre is a formal garden construction on a level surface consisting of planting beds, edged in stone or tightly clipped hedging, and gravel paths arranged to form a pleasing, usually symmetrical pattern. Parterres need not have any flowers at all...
garden centered upon one of its façades.
In 1683, the Clermont sold the château to Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
's minister Louvois
Louvois
Louvois may refer to:* François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois , French Secretary of State for War, commonly referred to as "Louvois"* Camille le Tellier de Louvois , French clergyman, son of the marquis...
. His eventual heirs sold it in 1844 to Gaspard-Louis-Aimé de Clermont-Tonnerre, a descendant of the builder. After being the property of the princes of Mérode, and of other owners, it now belongs to Paris Investir, a French company dedicated to the rehabilitation and restoration of the château.