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The Château Anet As Artistic Inspiration, Margaret Harp

Quidditas

From its inception, the Renaissance Château Anet, located due east of Paris just outside of the town of Dreux, was envisaged as a locale not only for the best and brightest of the royal court—namely, the king Henry II and his mistress Diane de Poitiers—but also as a veritable canvas for the most prominent architects, sculptors, painters, and poets of the day. These artists, and particularly the poets, viewed Anet as a spectacular artifice that mirrored Diane's beauty and elegance. While clearly catering to the court, the poetry reflected the common perception of Anet. Upon visiting the chateau in 1557 …