"Paris is well worth a mass."

The Blog of Henry IV, King of France and Navarre.

[levertgalant]

i sent that like a year or two ago wtf

yeah but i didn't want my prof to see us meming together u feel me

[levertgalant]

what a creep that henry the henry ew so unkawaii

say that to my face not online u lil punk

[levertgalant]

Who was Henry IV of France?

Henry IV of France was most known for his measures towards religious tolerance in France, not for the artwork he commissioned. Although he was born in 1553 as a Catholic, he converted to Protestantism with his mother. In the early Wars of Religion, he fought on the side of the Huguenots before taking up reign as King of Navarre, a small country which is now part of modern-day Spain and France.

He married Marguerite de Valois, a French princess. Because of this marriage, when Henry III died, he would become the heir apparent. However, the War of the Three Henries prevented him from ascending to the French throne until 1589.

Throughout his reign, Henry IV of France was concerned with modernising Paris after the Wars of Religion, which led to the Henry IV style of French architecture. The idea of a city square with homes surrounding it originated from France and quickly swept through Europe. The Pont Neuf bridge and the Place des Vosges are both surviving structures from Henry IV's reign.

After the Wars of Religion, which ended in Henry IV's victory and ascension to the French throne, the Second School of Fontainebleau grew active. The school was mainly trained in Italy, but sought to revive the art of large-scale painting in France after the Wars of Religion.

Henry IV's court artists were influenced by Italian style of the time, but many paintings by Flemish artists Ambroise Dubois and Martin Freminet decorated his palaces.

Mules, Helen. "French Art and Architecture." Web. <http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753878>.

Henry IV of France. Heritage History. Web. <http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=characters&FileName=henry4f.php>.

[levertgalant]

Lead-glazed earthenware sculpture by unknown, but styled after a model by Guillaume Dupré (model ca. 1607-08; sculpture ca. 1574-1642).

This statuette was popular throughout the seventeenth century and was copied in the eighteenth century with Chelsea porcelain. This was created by a model formed by Guillaume Dupré in 1608. During his twenty year reign, Henry was concerned with modernising Paris, which inspired the Henry IV style of architecture. He was also a patron of the arts, allowing ceramist Claude Berthélémy to establish a ceramics atelier at the school of Fontainebleau, which was active during Henry's reign, but not linked with his style.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Nurse. 1574-1642. Lead-glazed earthenware. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"The Nurse." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/205868>.

[levertgalant]

Oil on wood painting titled "The Triumph of Henry IV" by Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens (ca. 1630).

Before her banishment from France in 1631, Marie de' Medici, Henry IV's widow, had commissioned the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens to paint forty-eight canvases for her to decorate the Palais de Louxembourg with. This was the first and last of the companion canvases she had commissioned before her exile. The painting depicts Henry IV riding into Paris valiantly upon his victory of the War of the Three Henries. It is reminiscent of the Romans, which is what was described in Ruben's contract in 1622.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Triumph of Henry IV. 1630. Oil on wood. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"The Triumph of Henry IV." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/437534>.

[levertgalant]

"Mars and Venus;" oil on canvas painting by French artist Nicolas Poussin (1628).

Poussin was an artist who reflected one half of the debate in art style in France in the seventeenth century; his art was proportional and depicted Roman classicism. Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens was the other half, with his more dramatic works. This painting is close in time to the Rubens work and shows a stark contrast between the paintings. Henry IV never saw either painting, but his son, Louis XIII, encouraged both styles of art in his court, and Louis XIII style was a blend of northern and southern elements.

Currently in the Museum of Fine Art.

Mars and Venus. 1628. Oil on canvas. Museum of Fine Art, Boston.

"Mars and Venus." Museum of Fine Art. Web. <http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/mars-and-venus-32734>.

[levertgalant]

Le Jardin du Roy tres Chrestien Henry IV roy de France et de Navare designed by Pierre Vallet, written by Joannes Robin, and dedicated to Marie de' Medici (1608).

This ten page book was meant to be a pattern book for painters, weavers, and embroiders, as the colours are omitted from the pictures, but they are described in the text. This has not been copied, but a later version, for Henry's son Louis XIII, was published in 1623 with twenty additional pages. Every drawing in this book were based off of plants in Henry IV's garden and his royal botanist's personal garden, who wrote this book.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Le Jardin du Roy tres Chrestien Henry IV roy de France et de Navare. 1608. Ink and paper. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Le Jardin du Roy tres Chrestien Henry IV roy de France et de Navare. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/358275>.

[levertgalant]

Bronze plaquette of Henry IV, Marie de' Medici, and their son, Louis, by French medalist Guillaume Dupré (1605).

This bronze plaquette by Guillaume Dupré depicts Henry IV, Marie de' Medici, and their son, the dauphin Louis. Henry IV is depicted as Mars, god of war. This can be seen by the spear Henry is carrying, which is Mars' famous icon. Marie de' Medici is represented as Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and war, which can be seen in her shield and helmet. The royal couple is probably portrayed as such because of Henry's victory in the War of the Three Henries. Little Louis is stepping on a dolphin and holding onto his father's empire, which could be indicative of his parents' hopes for their son's future as king of France.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Henry IV, Marie de' Medici, and the Dauphin. 1605. Bronze. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"Henry IV, Marie de' Medici, and the Dauphin." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/207783>.

[levertgalant]

Gilt bronze plaquette of King Henry IV of France and his consort, Marie de' Medici, by French medalist Guillaume Dupré (1603).

This gilt bronze medal by French medalist Guillaume Dupré depicts Henry IV of France and his wife, Marie de' Medici in profile. The inscription says "HENR[icus]. III R[ex]. CHRIST[ianissimus]. MARIA. AVGVSTA," which translates to "Henry IV, most Christian King, Marie the Queen." This phrase probably alludes to Henry IV's victory in the Wars of Religion, and his conversion to Catholicism before ascending to the throne.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Henry IV, King of France and Marie de' Medici, his consort. 1603. Gilt bronze. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"Henry IV, King of France and Marie de' Medici, his consort." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/195408>.

[levertgalant]

Copper alloy and bronze plaquette of Henry IV of France by French medalist Guillaume Dupré (early 17th century)

This medal by Guillaume Dupré depicts King Henry IV of France. Dupré sculpted many such medals and plaquettes of Henry during his reign as small homages to his greatness. The medal only depicts Henry, which might mean this was created before he married Marie de' Medici, as Dupré creates later works which include both Henry IV and Marie.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Henry IV, King of France. Early 17th century. Copper alloy and bronze. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"Henry IV, King of France." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/197781>.

[levertgalant]

Lead medal of Henry IV of France by French medalist Philippe Danfrie the Younger (ca. 1590).

This lead plaquette of Henry IV is double sided. The front, bearing Henry's profile, says "Henry, by the Grace of God, king of the French and of Navarre" in Latin surrounding him. The opposite side depicts a bird flying over a scene of an army with the words "This the King does for many; Liberality of the king; Good faith of Henry; The the King does for all," also in Latin. This religious language surrounding Henry is most likely to emphasise his conversion to Catholicism; this piece was made shortly after his ascension to the French throne.

Currently in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Henry IV of France. 1590. Lead. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

"Henry IV of France." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Web. <http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/197782>.