A must-see
article | Reading time5 min
Do you love mysteries ? Keen on coding ? The currency room is waiting to reveal all its secrets ! Let Roger de Rabutin's sharp mind take you by surprise.
Currencies ? Did you say currencies ?
The art of currencies
A motto is a representation of an idea by an image accompanied by a phrase : its purpose is to commemorate an occasion, a feeling or a person.
In his residence, the Count took this game to its apogee : thirty-eight mottos were used, highlighting the ideal of the aristocratic spirit, steeped in finesse and elevation, while also revealing the great sensitivity and culture of this Burgundian nobleman.
They are mainly located in the Salle des Devises, which is certainly one of the most enigmatic rooms in the building. It bears witness to Roger de Rabutin's Jesuit education, as he recreated the end-of-year exercises to which his teachers had accustomed him. It allowed him to showcase his great erudition, and he didn't hesitate to spice up the game by choosing to write the sentences in four languages : French, Latin as well as Spanish and Italian.
© Philippe Berthé / Centre des monuments nationaux
Whoever bites me will cry !
The Count's character
Four themes emerge in this impressive setting. The first is the Count's character.
Self-aware, Roger de Rabutin realised that his impulsiveness and high opinion of himself were playing tricks on him in his dealings with Louis XIV. But as an outspoken and uncompromising man, he did not deny his character traits.
Woe betide those who denigrate him, for they will suffer his wrath ! As a self-respecting man of war, the Count does not allow himself to be attacked without striking back : at the entrance to the Motto Room, he warns the unwary with the "Onion" : "If you're looking for me, you'll find me !"
With the point of his sword or his words, he'll make you cry !
David Bordes / Centre des monuments nationaux
She is one or the other
The mottos against the Infidel
The second theme is his resentment towards Madame de Montglas, his mistress who dared to leave him after the scandal of "Histoire amoureuse des Gaules".
The Count has a tenacious grudge, especially against the woman he later nicknamed "the Infidel". He compares her in turn to the Siren or Fortune, and is constantly taunting her about her infidelity and inconstancy.
He goes so far as to break the only rule in this literary game by putting a human figure in all the mottos about his former lover. His explanation : "since monsters can be put there, look at it as such ! "
David Bordes / Centre des monuments nationaux
Spring and Autumn combine their gifts
I don't love you either !
It's safe to say that Louis XIV and Roger de Rabutin had quite a relationship, with everyone saying : "Je t'aime, moi non plus" ("I love you, but neither do I").
The Count's misfortune was to have been born between two reigns and not to have understood the change in society that took place with the Sun King.
This mutual incomprehension is reflected on the walls of the room, where Roger de Rabutin never ceased to express the difficulties of being a courtier in the shadow of the great king, as perfectly illustrated by "L'Oranger", which reflects the fragility of this status with its sentence "Spring and winter mingle their gifts". One day, you can be at the top of your game at Court, and the next, everyone forgets about you...
David Bordes / Centre des monuments nationaux
The colder it gets, the hotter I get
Roger de Rabutin, troubadour of love
Exiled to his native Burgundy, Roger de Rabutin has never forgotten his first love, as he tricks his boredom into creating this fantastic and moving interior decor.
A gallant man first and foremost, the famous writer of "Maximes d'Amour" never ceased giving his amorous advice in his own home. However, he was not immune to the torments of unrequited affection, as "La Cruche d'eau" illustrates so well : "The more she cools me down, the more I catch fire" !
David Bordes / Centre des monuments nationaux
It's up to you !
Now you have all the keys you need to decipher this mysterious decor : the castle's thirty-eight mottos are just waiting to be deciphered.
Ready to take up the challenge ? Come to Burgundy and try your hand at decoding these "talking pictures" !