La ménagerie de Chantilly – Chantilly (France)

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La ménagerie de Chantilly – Chantilly (France)

The Chantilly menagerie

From the Middle Ages, owning animals of foreign origin became a symbol of wealth of which the lords of Chantilly claimed possession as from the Renaissance period. From the late 17th century to the 18th century, the estate belonged to the Montmorency and the Bourbon-Condé families. For their amusement, and to satisfy their curiosity, they introduced – initially to the castle grounds, then to one of the kingdom’s most extraordinary menageries – exotic or native animals, which embellished the gardens, hence enhancing their owners’ image. Their numbers increased to such an extent that, in the late 17th century, it appeared essential that a specific habitat be built for them – a menagerie worthy of that of Louis XIV in Versailles. At the crossroads between zoology, animal architecture, art and scientific curiosity, it played a natural role in 17th- and 18th-century cultural and high society life, up to its closure, as from 1792.

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