Patronage

This article reveals that Francis I's patronage at Fontainebleau marked a pivotal moment in France's cultural and political evolution, showcasing his strategy to import Renaissance sophistication from Italian courts. By enticing Italian artists to create complex architectural and decorative ensembles, he established a model of cultural-political intervention that significantly influenced France's identity as a culture-state. The study focuses on the 16th century, contrasting it with later periods of the Ancien Régime, emphasizing Fontainebleau's role in this transformation.

Ledbury, M. (2012). Patronage. The Oxford Handbook of the Ancien Régime, 388–408. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199291205.013.0023