| Francis I was an innovative Renaissance art patron. His collecting demonstrated a unique relationship of the patron with the works of art and artists. Francis was the first French king whose aesthetic was sufficiently formed to consider works of art as the unique products of famous artists and to lead him to request works by specific artists rather than focusing on the practical or religious function of the work of art. Francis also followed the acquisition of a work by a particular artist with an attempt to acquire the famous him as an ornament of the court.;As his contemporaries, Francis was a skilled warrior and politician, often using art as a means of political gain. Francis is unique because he also demonstrated a genuine and passionate desire to represent Renaissance ideals and stand out as an accomplished art collector. |
