ESCAPADES EN ILE-DE-FRANCE-CHANTILLY(2)-CHATEAU(1)
Jack
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THE CHATEAU DE CHANTILLY
The chateau is open every day except on Tuesday from 10.00-12.45 and
14.00-17.00 from Nov 1 to the last day of February. From March open
until 18.00.tel 0344570800
Parking your car is giving in to official and organized rip-off.
Prices are ridiculous. Try to park your car further away, it's the
only solution.
Entrance fee to the chateau: 39 FF.
You access to the chateau passing the pont Michel-Ange separating the
Carpes and Sylvia ponds. On your right side you will notice a long
white building in classic style, the chateau d'Enghien, where the
curators of the chateau de Chantilly live, the lucky bastards!!
Enter the chateau and begin your visit with the MUSEE CONDE. One of
the richest museums of France after the Louvre. A fantastic art
collection!
The visit of this marvelous museum starts with the ground floor.
---GALERIE DES CERFS: coffered ceiling decorated with the armories of
the families who owned successively the chateau. Nice Gobelins
tapestries of the 17th century and of course a collection of hunting
trophies. 2 lion skins complete the picture
---GALERIE DE PEINTURE: notice the very squeezed disposition of the
paintings, "old style", which has to remain like that, following the
last will of the duke of Aumale. Numerous masterpieces: "Le Sommeil de
Venus" by Anibale Carrache", "L'Enfance de Bacchus" and "Paysage aux
Deux Nymphes" by Poussin, "Mazarin and Richelieu" by Philippe de
Champaigne, "Les Pestiferes de Jaffa" by Gros, "Les Deux Foscari" by
Delacroix, "Le Concert Champetre" by Corot, ""La Madonne de Lorette"
by Raphael.
---THE ROTUNDA: other masterpieces, of which "Simonetta Vespucci" by
Piero di Cosimo.
---GALERIE DU LOGIS: interesting portraits of the 16th century of
which the one of the constable Anne de Montmorency. In the Petite
Gallerie, copies of Raphael cartoons for the Sixtine Chapel.
---SALLE DE LA SMALAH: different portraits of the family of the duke
of Aumale.
---SALLE DE LA MINERVE: here you will find some pretty statues of
Tanagra.
---CABINET DES ANTIQUES: notice here three large bronze Greek urns of
the
4th century B.C.. Stay a moment longer to admire a small painting on
wood, by Jacob Van der Ulft, dated 1659, "the "Dam" in Amsterdam of an
extraordinary accuracy and precision of stroke and detail.
---GIOTTO CABINET: here are numerous paintings of the Italian school.
Also here a very squeezed disposition.
---SALLE ISABLEE: examples of the French school of the 19th century
(Delacroix, Theodore Rousseau) and Dutch marines.
---CLOUET CABINET: one of the most fascinating galleries of the
museum. The portraits dating from the 16th century and attributed to
Clouet are of a diabolical talent! At this instant you cross again the
painting gallery to accede the GALLERIE DE PSYCHE where stained-glass
windows describing the love affairs of Psyche are on display. They
were made in 1542 for the chateau d'Ecouen. Also a few drawings of
Clouet.
---LE SANTUARIO: presents probably the most important works of the
museum, like the "Vierge de la Maison d'Orleans" and the "Three
Graces" by Raphael. You will be rather surprised by the small size of
this painting; in art books it looks much bigger! Also "Esther and
Assuerus " by Filippino Lippi and, above all, 40 miniatures realized
by Jean Fouquet.
---CABINET DES GEMMES: also here a lot of delicate miniatures
representing members of the great royal families, and enamels. Nice
collection of fans.
The famous Rose diamond is exhibited in a display-window. In fact this
is copy since it was stolen in 1926 and spectacularly rediscovered.
The thief forgot his suitcase in a Parisian hotel!! A cleaning woman
who couldn't resist to the urge to eat the nice apple she found in the
suitcase….and at her first bite in the Rose diamond she lost a tooth!
---TRIBUNE: in this large octagonal room lighted by a central lantern,
other numerous masterpieces. Watteau, Philippe de Champaigne,
Delacroix, the most famous portrait of Moliere by Mignard (you see in
all schoolbooks), Ingres and many others.
There is also a guided visit of the apartments. This will the subject
of my next post.
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