… and you can help beautify the Château de Fontainebleau! Our next acquisition: an exquisite oil painting of Minerva and Ulysses that depicts the legendary décor of Fontainebleau's long-lost Ulysses Gallery! Minerva beautifies Ulysses , in the collections of the Château de Rochepot for over a century, will enrich our collection of witnesses to the legacy of Renaissance art at Fontainebleau. Minerva beautifies Ulysses , artist unknown, oil on wood, 127 x 158 cm (50 x 62 in), late 16th century. Fontainebleau's Renaissance legacy in a painting Commissioned by Francis I in 1537, the Ulysses Gallery featured a remarkable décor comprising fifty-eight painted scenes from Homer's Odyssey . Both Francis I and Henry II eagerly identified with the bold and clever Greek hero. Primaticcio was responsible for the drawings of the composition and Niccolò dell'Abate, his Modenese assistant, and a large team of artists executed the décor in frescoes. Prior to its destruction in 1738 on the orders of Louis XV, the Gallery was renowned for its scenes of epic narrative and attracted a number of artists like Rubens and Poussin who copied and interpreted the Homeric décor. These first-hand testimonies of painters and engravers preserved a trace of this original décor and have enabled its reconstitution. Minerva beautifies Ulysses is among the rare testaments to the Ulysses Gallery's décor. It represents the bathing and primping of Ulysses. The hero, having returned to Ithaca and undergone a series of brutal trials, is cleaned up to be reunited with his beloved Penelope. The elaborate hairstyles, elegant drapery, and well-defined lips as well as the soft fleshiness of the touch add a glimpse of sensuality to the panel, a dimension extremely vivid in Renaissance décors at Fontainebleau. The subtlety of the slightly smoked palette suggests that the artist belonged to the hub of Flemish artists working at Fontainebleau in the second half of the 16th century. Your contribution will allow us to bring this work back to Fontainebleau for good! Want to discuss our projects? 💬 Eric Grebille, Head of Sponsorship Telephone: (+33) 01.60.71.57.92 / (+33) 06.87.40.14.34 Email: eric.grebille@chateaudefontainebleau.fr → Other ways to support the Château de Fontainebleau ← Discover all of our current projects or leave a gift in your will

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For gifts by check: Write your check to KBFUS, write " American Friends of the Château de Fontainebleau-Acquisition " in the memo section of the check, and send it to KBFUS, 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400, New York, NY 10176. Gifts by wire transfer or to contribute other types of property: Email KBFUS at: info@kbfus.org or phone (212) 713 7660.