22DG6 Oak Henry II Fire mantle

Oak Henry II Fire mantle Measurements 159cm W X 204.5H x 65W
In France, the Renaissance style is often referred to as Henry II (Henri II) style, based on the reign of Henry II (1547 -1559), although it is surprising that the style was not named for his father, Francis I. Considered to be the great French Renaissance monarch, Francis I (1515 – 1547), a contemporary of Henry VIII in England, was a great supporter of the Arts and the Humanities. Enamored with Italian Renaissance art and architecture, he convinced Leonardo da Vinci and other great Italian artists to move to France and work at his court, decorating his many palaces and chateaux (palaces out in the country rather than in Paris) in the lush Loire Valley. He actively collected artistic works by Raphael, Michelangelo, and Titian, which were the beginning of the magnificent art collection of the French kings on display today in the Louvre in Paris. Decorative hallmarks of the Henry II style include arches, pediments, columns, finials, carved flowers, fruit, scrolls and often references to Greek and Roman mythology, including male and female heads, faces or figures.