An unexpected treasure in the church of Saint Félix, at Champigny-en-Beauce, north of Blois, the Virgin Mary, Infant Christ, and the young St. John the Baptist, long thought of as a 19th century copy, has recently been authenticated as an original 16th century piece from the studio of Italian painter Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510).

The painting is on loan to Chambord for two years, and will be displayed in the chapel at the château until 19 January 2025 alongside its model made a few years before by Botticelli himself. This painting, housed in the Palatine Gallery at the Pitti Palace in Florence, has exceptionally been loaned by the Uffizi Galleries.

From the outset, Chambord has been dedicated to the arts: ever since it was built by Francis I, numerous artists have come to take part in the court festivities and entertainments given by the king. This tradition has continued ever since, with the various sovereigns and personalities who have left their mark on the site.

Launched in 2021 and completed in June 2023, the restoration of the Château’s six roof lanterns, supervised by François Chatillon, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments since 2004, was carried out as part of a single project. Aside from occasional repairs, no restoration work had been performed on the lanterns for more than 50 years.