The Galleries
Francis the First Gallery
In addition to the remarkable beauty and richness of the wall paintings, the gallery is also of historical interest.
During the French Revolution, the locals helped protect the painted decoration in the gallery by covering the walls with a wattle and daub mixture, thus completely hiding the royal symbols from the revolutionaries.
At the time, these mud and straw walls were meant to be temporary – but history decided otherwise..
The Francis the First Gallery is located in the heart of the Renaissance building.
This magnificent gallery was entirely painted by Italian artists around 1585.
The interesting part is the crowned salamander, emblem of the King Francis Ist, painted above the mantelpiece. Because the king visited Gizeux twice, the du Bellay family had the right to include the king’s emblem in the decor of their home.
The Gallery of Castles
The Gallery of the Châteaux was realised around 1685 by an art school in residence at Gizeux.
This second gallery includes representations of the largest royal châteaux: Versailles, Fontainebleau, Chambord and Vincennes.
Can you recognise any of them?
© Château de Gizeux 37340 Gizeux
