In second half of the seventeenth century the French antiquary, Roger de Gaignières (1644-1715), fascinated by the history of France, amassed an extensive collection of historical manuscripts, portraits and original documents relating mainly to the French monarchy and ecclesiastical history from the reign of Clovis to that of Louis XIV.
Gaignières collected not just existing documents but, with his illustrators Barthelemy Remy and Louis Boudan, he traveled to northern France to copy charters, obituaries and basic texts, raise tombs, epitaphs, topographical views, stained glass, tapestries, art objects, seals and portraits. Over 7300 drawings are still preserved today.
I will be posting many of the Touraine illustrations by Louis Boudan over the next few weeks.
If anyone has further information on the life and works of Louis Boudan then please do get in touch.
