I'm posting just a few more pictures I took at the Château de Cheverny several years ago. According to the Cadogan
Loire guidebook, Cheverny is the local château that possesses the finest collection of artwork — including sculpture, painting, and tapestries.
The Vibraye family, descendants of the 17th century owner-builders of the château, still live here, in their private apartments. The visitors' tour, self-guided, encompasses several rooms on two levels, which are a sort of fine arts museum.
It's nice that you can take photos at Cheverny. Some châteaus ban photography, and most don't want you to use your flash. With some patience, and without a flash, it's still possible to photograph a lot of the artwork in a château like Cheverny. It helps to be there on a sunny day, with light streaming in through the windows. (You can click the pictures on this blog to see them at a larger size.)
Cheverny is small enough that it isn't overwhelming. There are maybe a dozen rooms you can see, and each one is beautifully furnished. The Michelin guide describes the interior as «
un éblouissant décor de sculptures, dorures, marbres, lambris polychromes, tableaux et meubles somptueux. » — a dazzling decor of sculpture, gold, marble, polychrome ceilings, painting and gorgeous furniture.
One of the finest rooms at Cheverny is the
Chambre du Roi — the King's Chambers. It's ironic that no French king ever spent a night in the château. Maybe Henri IV would have, but he was assassinated by a so-called madman in 1610, when the construction project was just getting under way.
The Vibraye family, descendants of the 17th century owner-builders of the château, still live here, in their private apartments. The visitors' tour, self-guided, encompasses several rooms on two levels, which are a sort of fine arts museum.
It's nice that you can take photos at Cheverny. Some châteaus ban photography, and most don't want you to use your flash. With some patience, and without a flash, it's still possible to photograph a lot of the artwork in a château like Cheverny. It helps to be there on a sunny day, with light streaming in through the windows. (You can click the pictures on this blog to see them at a larger size.)
Cheverny is small enough that it isn't overwhelming. There are maybe a dozen rooms you can see, and each one is beautifully furnished. The Michelin guide describes the interior as « un éblouissant décor de sculptures, dorures, marbres, lambris polychromes, tableaux et meubles somptueux. » — a dazzling decor of sculpture, gold, marble, polychrome ceilings, painting and gorgeous furniture.
One of the finest rooms at Cheverny is the Chambre du Roi — the King's Chambers. It's ironic that no French king ever spent a night in the château. Maybe Henri IV would have, but he was assassinated by a so-called madman in 1610, when the construction project was just getting under way.
Love ths series on Cheverny. We almost stopped there last year on our way to see you. We drove around it and stopped on that straight road at the back in order to look back. Next time, I think we should visit. You've sold me on the idea.
ReplyDeleteDid March 31 not go well for you, and you're having a do-over?
ReplyDeleteIs this an April Fool's day post? Am enjoying seeing the inside of Cheverny.
ReplyDeleteglad to see the inside....have seen the exterior but never been in
ReplyDelete??? Carolyn and Evelyn...
ReplyDeleteI second Ken's "???" to Carolyn and Evelyn :) Everything looks normal to me! Nice post on the interior of Cheverny :)
ReplyDeleteJudy
The tapestries are beautiful and I'd enjoy having that bronze equestrian statue for myself. ;-) Wonderful pics.
ReplyDeleteI thought Cheverny was the most like a "real home" of the chateaux I've seen. A really BIG home, but the scale is more manageable than something like Vaux le Vicomte. To me the best part was the walk up to the facade, which is so beautifully proportioned.
It seems to me the first photo is a Gobelins tapestry after “L’Enlèvement de la Belle Hélène” by Simon Vouet (1590-1649).
ReplyDeleteThe second tapestry (2nd photo) may be a Gobelins also. The subject matter looks very much in the manner of Louis Le Nain (1593-1648) but I could not find confirmation of that.
The third photo reminds me of a question that was asked young children to see how smart they were: “What is the color of Henri IV’s white horse?” Looking at the picture there is no telling what the real color was.
All these photos are extremely good.
CHM, I read that the tapestries at Cheverny are Flemish. But then no specific ones were mentioned. So I don't have a clue.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn and Evelyn, still kind of mystified but never mind. Do you think we could make our house look more like Cheverny? LOL.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought it was l’Enlèvement des Sabines. But since there was only one, it couldn’t not be that. Then I googled “Tapisseries du Château de Cheverny” and there was that link to a book where it read:
Simon Vouet. Manufacture de Paris. “Enlèvement de la Belle Hélène” (Salle des Gardes), remarquable production des Gobelins.” That description seemed to fit you photo.
The other one could very well be a Flemish tapestry. I suggested Le Nain, but it could be anybody else.
There is no doubt about Henri IV!
I feel better that you are mystified, because I was mystified, and still am. But as you said never mind! LOL
Ken, your post of Apr 1st is dated March 31st, while your March 31st post no longer has a date assigned to it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Blogger is playing an April Fool joke?
chm...
ReplyDeleteyou didn't give the answer.
what color was it?
Diogenes, LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks for the explanation, BettyAnn. That completely escaped me. I don't know how it happened but I know how to fix it
ReplyDeleteCHM, actually I thought Henri IV rode a green horse.
ReplyDelete