The new glass roof of the Galerie de peintures at Château de Chantilly, with Le Nôtre gardens in the back, photo M.Savart.

Nicole Garnier in front of a Corot with Chantal Millet

The occasion was festive and « the Friends of Musée Condé » in Chantilly, could be proud of themselves for having contributed to the restoration of the paintings from the famous Duc d’Aumale collection. Pierre Antoine Gatier, architect in chief of Monuments Historiques, was discussing the color of the original 1895 mural fabrics by Binant, which he managed to save. A dark red which is not cherry and not brown. Very typical of the period. « Very shabby chic » as someone said, not glitzy at all and very Chantilly.

Architect Pierre Antoine Gatier discusses colors with furniture expert, Alexandre Pradère

Immediately contemporary to the Wallace collection, this gallery of paintings, which art historian Pierre Rosenberg, considers “the second in France after the Louvre”, was being inaugurated on a Friday night by the Friends, mostly local neighbors and American contributors.

The 16 th century aisle of the castle houses Duc d’Aumale’s private apartments

General Millet and his wife Chantal, who manages all the properties of the Institut de France in Chantilly, were congratulating Nicole Garnier, curator in chief, who spent the last 15 months overseeing the works. She was marvelling at having been able to authentify, after cleaning them, medallions in the ceiling by Charles Raphaël Maréchal, which were brought by Duc d’Aumale from his hotel in Paris. The Raphaels, the Poussins, the Corot have all gained a new youth and the glass roof helped by very sophisticated electrical lighting, has completely changed the perception we have of the room! This is mostly due to the generosity of His Highness Prince Aga Khan, whose horses are trained in nearby Gouvieux, and who has endowed the « Foundation for Preservation and Development of Château de Chantilly ».

Two layers of glass roofs control heat and sun rays.

Interestingly, the painting restorers were helped by a veterinarian (Chantilly is the city of horses and races) who lent his radiography machine:  and this is how they found out the « repeints » of some of the paintings. Frame specialists, Marie and Florent Dubost, told us about the difference between Italian frames in gilt sculpted wood and their French equivalent in gilt stucco.
The Castle which includes a Museum of horses, horse shows for children and Le Nôtre gardens with a grand canal, is for the first time hosting (from May 15-17 th) the « Journées des Plantes de Courson », a French equivalent to the Chelsea flower show, founded by Patrice and Hélène Fustier.  This is a good occasion to buy a few trees or bushes for your garden, stroll around the park and revisit the fabulous painting collection.

The Galerie des Peintures,  its new glass ceiling and rediscovered medallions.