The Entrance Portico of the Château d'Anet, seen from the interior of the courtyard 1785 - 1837

Jean Lubin Vauzelle created this watercolor of the Entrance Portico of the Château d'Anet in the first decades of the 19th century. This image depicts a famous French aristocratic residence during a period of profound social upheaval. Commissioned in the 16th century by King Henry II's mistress, Diane de Poitiers, the château was a symbol of royal power and wealth. Vauzelle's image shows the building after the French Revolution, when it was briefly seized from its aristocratic owners. By the time this painting was made, the château had been returned to the family, but the shadow of the revolution lingers in its depiction as a site undergoing renovation. Historical research shows that the building was briefly used as a stone quarry. The artist references this moment of desecration by including a cart loaded with masonry in the left corner of the image. This seemingly innocuous detail serves as a reminder of the transience of power and the role of revolution in shaping cultural memory.