The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, vol. 06, No. 10, October 1900 The Château of Chambord: France; Louis XVI. Sconces

This 1900 issue of The Brochure Series offers an intimate portrait of the Château de Chambord, one of France’s most singular Renaissance palaces. Through detailed plates and lyrical prose, listeners are guided along the southern façade, the great‑staircase lantern, and sweeping aerial views that capture the building’s fairy‑like emergence from the plain. The author situates the palace within its historic landscape, noting how the Loire’s banks and the surrounding forest shape its mythic presence.

Beyond the visuals, the booklet delves into the king’s personal motives—Francis I’s love of the hunt, his secret retreats, and the whispered rumors of hidden stairways and subterranean passages. It also explores the enduring mystery of the architect, highlighting the local master Pierre le Nepveu whose modest title belies a remarkable talent. Listeners will feel the same awe that inspired poets and artists who first beheld the “jinnee of the Orient” rising from the heath.