François I (1494-1547) was a leading figure of the European Renaissance in France during the early 16th century.
Patron of the Arts
Beginning with his travels as a young man, François was enchanted with all things Italian, and worked diligently to bring the grace and beauty of the northern Italian states to his palaces in Paris and the Loire Valley. François brought notable artists from Italy to beautify his palaces, including the goldsmith, Benvenuto Cellini, and the painters Rosso and Primaticcio. François even invited Leonardo Da Vinci to live in France. Leonardo, who suffered from a stroke and could no longer paint, brought with him several of his earlier works including the Mona Lisa. François was successful in purchasing works from famed artists such as Raphael and Michelangelo, and began the lavish collection of Renaissance artwork that now hangs in the Louvre.
François I and the Humanist Movement
Growing up, François was educated by some of the most progressive thinkers of the age. While his education may not have been based entirely on humanist ideals, it was certainly influenced by them. As king, François brought many humanist thinkers to his court. He installed a humanist philosopher Guillume Budé as the royal librarian and purchased several rare books and manuscripts, which he spent much time reading.
François and the Italian Influence
François strove to bring the refinement and grace of the Italian courts to his own. He especially fell in love with the art and architecture of Milan, even taking the title of “Duke of Milan” as part of his official title. From Italy, he ordered miniature dolls dressed in the latest Italian fashions. These outfits were soon copied by the French court. Under François, the French court became a place of social gathering, not just the seat of government. He went so far as to invite women to stay at court (a first in France), which up until that point had been comprised mostly of men. François selected seventy of the most beautiful women from his nobles to accompany him on his progress throughout the country.
None of this cultural progress came cheap. The national treasury was in good standing when François ascended throne in 1515. However, his lavish spending on improving his palaces, buying artwork, and maintaining a huge court soon brought financial woes for France. To make matters worse, François was constantly at war with Charles V, further depleting the royal treasury. Taxes doubled and tripled, hurting the peasant class more than anyone else. While François helped create one of the most substantial collections of art in the world, and was a leader in spreading the Renaissance, he did leave his country in wary financial straits upon his death in 1547.
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