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Francis I (1494–1547), King of France by http://www.wikidata.org/.well-known/genid/bc6674d93651734bc7df359131057a85

http://www.wikidata.org/.well-known/genid/bc6674d93651734bc7df359131057a85 · 1600-01-01

This is Francis I, the king who brought the Renaissance to France. Painted by Jean Clouet around 1530, it hangs in the Louvre, a short walk from the Mona Lisa he once kept at Fontainebleau.

Look at the chest. The white strips on the red velvet are not decorative stripes, they are ermine tails, the fur reserved exclusively for royalty. Every stitch is a heraldic claim. The gold chain across his upper chest is likely the Order of Saint Michael, the highest chivalric honor in France, and his steady, unblinking gaze was a deliberate assertion of absolute authority.

Francis was a warrior king who lost to Charles V and was held captive in Madrid, but he returned to France and transformed its culture. He invited Leonardo da Vinci to Amboise in 1516, gave him a manor, and called him father. When Leonardo died three years later, Francis cradled his head in his arms, at least according to Vasari, who painted the deathbed scene into legend.

He built Chambord, filled Fontainebleau with Italian masters, and changed what a French king could be: not just a soldier, but a collector. What do you think he is holding in his left hand?

Details

He brought the Mona Lisa to France, and kept it in his bathroom.
He brought the Mona Lisa to France, and kept it in his bathroom.
He was a warrior, a lover, and a glutton for magnificence.
He was a warrior, a lover, and a glutton for magnificence.
Ermine tails cover his chest. Only a king could wear them.
Ermine tails cover his chest. Only a king could wear them.
Leonardo da Vinci died in his arms at Amboise, three years after they met.
Leonardo da Vinci died in his arms at Amboise, three years after they met.
Carefully modeled facial hair anchors the sitter's identity and projects masculine vigor; the soft gradations show the painter's technical confidence
Carefully modeled facial hair anchors the sitter's identity and projects masculine vigor; the soft gradations show the painter's technical confidence
Transcript

He brought the Mona Lisa to France, and kept it in his bathroom. He was a warrior, a lover, and a glutton for magnificence. This is his most recognizable portrait, and it hides the real story. Ermine tails cover his chest. Only a king could wear them. Leonardo da Vinci died in his arms at Amboise, three years after they met. Now watch his eyes. He is not letting you look away.