School of Fontainebleau, 16th Century

The School of Fontainebleau refers to two distinct waves of artistic activity centered at the Château de Fontainebleau in France during the 16th century, shaped by Italian and Flemish masters invited by King Francis I. The First School (c. 1530, 1560) was dominated by figures such as Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio, who introduced Mannerist aesthetics, elongated figures, sophisticated eroticism, and ornate decorative schemes, to the French court. Their influence gave rise to a distinctly French Renaissance style that blended Italian Mannerism with Northern European sensibilities, producing celebrated works in painting, fresco, and printmaking.