FONTAINEBLEAU, f5N'thn'1,14'. The cap ital of an arrondissement in the 1)epartnit•iit of Seine-et-Alarne. France, beautifully situated in the midst of an extensive forest. near the left bank of the Seine, :35 miles southeast of Paris (Slap: France, .1 3). The Forest of Fontaine bleau. covering an area of 114 square miles. is re nowned for its beauty. and is regarded as one of the most picturesque forests of Franey. There are two hospitals. a library. a theatre. and a monument to President Carnot. Grapes. famous for their fine quality. are largely cultivated; porcelain and earthenware are manufactured. Population. in I901, 14,160, Fontainebleau is chiefly famous for it- chateau. or pleasure palace. of the kings of France. It is said to have been originally founded by P,obert the Pions toward the end of the tenth century. It was rebuilt in the twelfth century by Louis of whom. and of Philip it was a favorite residence and limiting seat. It was enlarged by Louis I X. and his successors.
The old castle was razed in by Francis T., who planned a pleasure palace less grim, and more in harmony with the new life of the Renais sance. The plans were drawn up in 152S, proba bly by Giles le Breton, who carried them out on1S in part in the Cour du Cheral Blanc, the Ga/•ric ,le Francois I., and the Ga/eric d'llenri II., and the peristyle of the Cour Orale. The main por tions were built shortly afterwards by Pierre Chambige and Pierre Gerard. Under Henry II. Philibert Delorme made additions, and the fa mous Italian artists, such as Primati•cio, Rosso, and Serlio, were called here to build and decorate. Their work here was so important as to give to this little group of artists the name of the School of Fontainebleau, whose influence spread widely over France. Royal favor was then for a time
withdrawn, to be revived under Henry IV., for whom were executed the new Galerie de Diane, the Place d'Artnes, and the beautiful grounds. To Louis X111. considerable interior decoration was due. Under Louis XIV. the château was occupied by Madame de Alontespan, but later the King deserted it for Versailles and Saint-Ger main, except for a while during the autumn. It was again transformed under Louis XV., and oc cupied successively by Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry. Under Louis XVI. it was a favorite residence of Queen Marie Antoi nette. Napoleon I. had the château renovated, and Louis Philippe restored it in the style of the sixteenth century.
Notwithstanding these later modifications. Fontainebleau remains, both in construction and decoration, one of the most superb works of the early and golden ages of the French Renaissance, with a tinge of special Italian influence. In the seventeenth century it was the residence of Chris tina of Sweden after her abdication; here for nearly two years Pope Pius V11, was detained a prisoner by Napoleon. Many State transac tions and treaties are dated from Fontainebleau, Here Napoleon signed his abdication in 1814 and again in 1815. The palace has been restored, and is kept in perfect condition as a public monument. Consult: Pino•, llistoire et guide artistique au palais de Fontainebleau (Paris. 1889); Archi tectu•e rt decoration au palais de Fontainebleau ( Paris, 1885 ) ; Palust re. La Renaissance en France, vol. i. (Paris. 1879) ; Haynes-Williams, Fontainebleau (New York, 1890), consisting of photogravures after pictures.