In one of the wings of the palace at Fontainebleau built by Henri IV in 1606-9, one can see examples of the façade treatment similar to that of the old lost château de Richelieu. The walls were interspersed with niches - both circular and semi-cylindric, that framed statues and busts of antique heros and heroines, both mythic and historic.
In the old engraving of the castle below this can be seen in the courtyard part-elevation lower right. It is hard to visualise this rather 'bling', seemingly over-decorated manner. It doesn't seem so exaggerated in reality. At Richelieu the statuary would have been inserted in an all-cut-stone ashlar wall rather than in polychrome brick/stone as at 'rural' Fontainebleau.
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| From Éminence Rouge |
Have a look at this video of a CAD recreation of the château de Richelieu that shows the way it was decorated with ancient statuary. Not bad for just a few bits and bytes.
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