The topics of this blog are Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duke of Richelieu, and the IDEAL CITY built on his command next to his magnificent CHÂTEAU on the borders of Touraine, Anjou and Poitou, in France.

Monday 26 July 2010

Fondation du Parimoine - Richelieu's canvases

is an organisation that sponsors cultural projects and invites private and corporate patronage of the historic inheritance of France.  On this site one can see news of the project to restore and then display the huge - 3.5 x 2.6m - battle scenes that were originally created for the gallery of the château de Richelieu.  They told of the great victories of the king Louis XIII and his first minister, the cardinal duc de Richelieu.  They were preserved (sic!) in the château de Versailles.

Once restored, three canvases will be displayed in the museum of Orleans, three in Tours and 
SIX - yes! 6
(three of these need restoration)
in the municipal museum of the town of Richelieu.  One asks why not all of them?  Should we not start a club to ensure the restitution of the Cardinal's famous art collection to its original location in its entirety?  Recreate the gallery in its original location on the island in the parc?  At first floor level maybe?

If you CLICK HERE you can download a document which tells how to subscribe €s to this worthy objective - or download the document you can see at the foot of this post. It tells the story of the project and also tells which restored painting will go where.  Amongst their six canvases, Richelieu will receive these paintings restored:
  • 1   The siege of the Ile de Ré (needs 52,582 euros - 526 persons @ 100€ each!), against the dastardly rosbifs and the Duke of Buckingham, as featured in the Three Musketeers!
  • 2   The Reduction of Nîmes (27,238 euros)
  • 3   The Submission of Montauban (needs 39,067 euros)


You can support this project by subscribing either as an individual or as a company.  The pdf document below tells you about the project and how contribution may be made.
You can even choose which painting to support
Go on! You know you want to.
'cos its worth it
doc_projets_873_735

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Roof ablaze at the château de Rivau 5km from Richelieu

Read HERE about the recent roof
FIRE
at the château du Rivau,
a building actually referred to in GARGANTUA by Rabelais
located a few kilometres north of the cité idéale.

*****

* 4th Richelieu Music Festival Programme * 29 July - 15 August 2010

Music Fest 4