Étienne Chevalier facts for kids
Étienne Chevalier (born around 1410 in Melun – died in 1474) was a very important government official for the French kings Charles VII and Louis XI. He is also famous for asking the artist Jean Fouquet to create two major artworks. These were the Melun Diptych (which he gave to the Collégiale Notre-Dame de Melun, a church) and the Hours of Étienne Chevalier. In the Hours book, he is shown twice praying to the Virgin Mary, with his patron saint Stephen presenting him.
Étienne Chevalier's Life
Étienne Chevalier was the son of a secretary who worked for King Charles VII. He traveled to England twice with another official named Guillaume Cousinot de Montreuil.
Over time, Étienne Chevalier took on many important roles for the king. He became a royal secretary, then an advisor (called conseiller), and later a maître des comptes, which meant he helped manage the royal money. He also became the contrôleur de la recette générale des finances, overseeing all the kingdom's income. Finally, in 1452, he became the Treasurer of France, which was a very powerful position in charge of the country's finances.
Étienne Chevalier, along with Jacques Cœur and a doctor named Robert Poitevin, were chosen to manage the will of Agnès Sorel after she passed away. Some people believe Agnès Sorel was the model for the Virgin Mary in the second part of the Melun Diptych painting.
Art and Étienne Chevalier
Étienne Chevalier is well-known today because he supported the arts. He asked the famous artist Jean Fouquet to create two beautiful works.
The first was the Melun Diptych, a two-panel painting. One panel shows Étienne Chevalier with Saint Stephen, and the other shows the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. This artwork is a great example of French art from the 1400s.
The second work was the Hours of Étienne Chevalier. This was a special prayer book, beautifully decorated with many small paintings (called illuminations). In this book, Étienne Chevalier is shown praying, highlighting his faith and his connection to the art.
