Leonardo da Vinci and France

Le Château du Clos Lucé, his home from 1516 to 1519

By Castle of Clos Lucé

Château du Clos Lucé

Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci © château du Clos Lucé (2019)Castle of Clos Lucé

The home of Leonardo da Vinci 1516 – 1519

At the invitation of King Francis I, Leonardo da Vinci left Italy and settled at the Château du Clos Lucé in the fall of 1516. At the age of 64, he crossed the Alps and brought with him three of his masterpieces: The Mona Lisa, the Saint Anne and the Saint John the Baptist as well as his notebooks and manuscripts.

The Façade © château du Clos LucéCastle of Clos Lucé

The coat of arms, on white tuffeau stone from the Loire valley, shows three fleurs de Lys - or Lilies - which was the symbol of the French monarchy.

Leonardo da Vinci's workshops © château du Clos Lucé (2016)Castle of Clos Lucé

The invitation of François I, Leonardo da Vinci "the King's first painter, architect and engineer"

François I expressed a profound respect for da Vinci, who he called "my father". The great craftsman and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini, who had also come from Italy, said: "King François, who was so taken with his great qualities, loved to listen to him talk and was to hardly ever be found apart from him..."

Saint Anne and the Virgin in Leonardo da Vinci's workshops - Chambéry, Musée des Beaux-Arts (on loan at the Château du Clos Lucé), Emma Cornélie Wyatt de Vivefay, 1855, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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Saint John the Baptist, Anonyme d'après Léonard de Vinci, XIXth century, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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Da Vinci attributed a great deal of importance to light in his works: "Look at light and admire its beauty. Close your eyes, and then look again: What you saw is no longer there, and what you will see later has not yet come to be."

© Château du Clos Lucé, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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LEONARDo DA VINCI, ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT At Le Clos Lucé, the Italian Master studied the plans for an ideal castle, in particular those for a double-revolution staircase that would have partly inspired the architect of the Château de Chambord, worked on the hydraulic development of the territory, and imagined an ideal city in Romorantin. Here he was free to pursue his research on anatomy, floods and botany.

Costumes designed from Leonardo da Vinci's drawing © château du Clos Lucé, 2017, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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In Amboise, François I entrusted Leonardo with organizing royal celebrations.Notably, he created the mechanical lion for the Argentan celebration. When the king struck it, it released lilies which fell to the monarch's feet.

Renaissance Great Hall © château du Clos Lucé (2019)Castle of Clos Lucé

In the council chambers. Leonardo da Vinci received his distinguished guests. Notably, he welcomed François I, the nobility of the kingdom, and ambassadors and artists who came to see him.

The study, Pepper Ghost virtual reality technology © château du Clos Lucé, 2016, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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On October 10, 1517, da Vinci received a visit from Cardinal d'Aragon at Clos Lucé. According to an account from Antonio Beatis, secretary to the cardinal, Leonardo presented him with a painting of "a Florentine lady painted from life at the request of the late Giuliano de' Medici."

The secret underground, Unknown, XVIth century - XXth century, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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Oral tradition tells that a tunnel connected the Château Royal d'Amboise and the Château du Clos Lucé. François I often used it to visit da Vinci because he admired the depth of his knowledge.

Leonardo da Vinci's bedroom (1516 - 2011) by UnknownCastle of Clos Lucé

1519: THE DEATH OF THE MASTER

"A full day gives a good sleep. A full life gives a quiet death" Leonardo da Vinci

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On April 23, 1519, Leonardo wrote his will, bequeathing his manuscripts, his sketchbooks and his sketches to his beloved disciple, Francesco Melzi.
He died in his bed at the Château du Clos Lucé on May 2, 1519, aged 67.

Leonardo da Vinci & François I, Picot, second part of the XIXth century - 2009, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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François I: "No man possessed such a knowledge of painting, sculpture or architecture as Leonardo, but the same goes for philosophy. He was a great philosopher."

Château du Clos Lucé - Parc Leonardo da Vinci © Léonard de Serres, From the collection of: Castle of Clos Lucé
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The Château du Clos Lucé has the legitimate vocation of transmitting the heritage, the memory and the knowledge of the Italian genius, which has remained timeless and universal. Located in the Loire Valley, Unesco World Heritage Site, cradle of the Renaissance in France, the residence, its cultural park, open-air museum and its exhibition hall allow a large public to understand and discover the whole of Leonardo da Vinci's knowledge.

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Château du Clos Lucé

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