164 



RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE. 



considerations may have contributed to de 1'Orme's fall. In spite of 

 his habit of self-laudation his undertakings were not always successful, 

 and the Guise family in particular had had a bitter experience of him 

 at Meudon (see p. 145). Again the autocratic and meddlesome fashion 

 in which he had exercised his office had made him very unpopular. 

 He had deprived Bullant of half his salary to increase that of his own 



brother, Jean, and we have 

 only his own word for it 

 that the contractors, whom 

 he forced to disgorge large 

 sums, were fraudulent. 

 Meanwhile in spite of his 

 disclaimers, his estate at 

 his death is evidence that 

 he was amassing a large 

 fortune. The tales reach- 

 ing the authorities may 

 have supplied sufficient 

 reason for again seeking a 

 report on the royal build- 

 ings. Be this as it may, 

 de 1'Orme does not seem 

 to have been deprived of 

 the benefices conferred on 

 him, one of which gave 

 him the right to work 

 lucrative marble quarries, 

 and his disgrace was a 

 short one. Within three 

 years he was in Catharine's 

 employ, and, though he 

 never regained the same 

 position of authority, his 

 last years were by no 

 means unoccupied. 



P R i M A T i c c i o ' s AP- 

 POINTMENT. That the 

 choice of a successor should have fallen on Primaticcio can cause no 

 surprise. If in addition to nearly thirty years' work at Fontainebleau 

 he had carried out such important buildings as Ancy-le-Franc and 

 Monceaux, no more competent person could be found, while the Queen's 

 wish to have her own architect and countryman at the head of the royal 

 buildings is extremely natural. The keen interest she took in them is 

 in itself almost a proof that she would not appoint, or maintain in office, 



DIJON : ORIEL, 37 RUE DE LA 

 VANNERIE. 



