Montmercy, Anne Duc de

Date born: 1493

Place born: Chantilly

Date died: 1567

Place died: Paris

Collector and historian of antiques and illuminated manuscripts. After serving in the military, de Montmercy returned to civilian life in 1515. As a wealthy nobleman, he used inheritance money to purchase several Ch­ teaus, which housed his art collection. In 1537, he rebuilt a Ch­ teau at Ecouen, where he kept important sculptures of Italian artists, including Michaelangelo’s Slaves. De Montmercy’s financial support helped with the restoration of the antique remains from the Languedoc region. His Paris home included an art gallery and a library, housing a wide variety of tapestries, paintings, and pottery. Several churches were built on de Montmercy’s property, and he provided funds for illuminated manuscripts, stained-glass window construction and other aesthetic improvements. He died in the battle of St. Denis in 1567, but his coat of arms on a suit of armor and illuminated manuscripts, as well as a stone altarpiece depicting his family, attest to the influence of his patronage in France. LMW