The chevalier bayard (c. 1473-1524), the quintessential knight, had been a popular subject for history painting since the late eighteenth century when he was the subject of several publications. The episode depicted in this highly finished watercolor came about because bayard was wounded at the siege of brescia. A noblewoman whose house and family bayard had protected from pillage took in the wounded bayard. The grateful lady was determined to reward him and gave him a box containing 2500 ducats. At first refusing this gift, he then accepted on condition that he could bid goodbye to her two daughters personally; he then gave them each 1000 ducats for their dowry and 500 to a local nunnery. The grateful young ladies bound ribbons containing locks of their hair to bayard's arm which he swore never to remove. Object Type: painting. Genre: history painting. Date: circa 1819. Dimensions: height: 40 cm (15.7 in) ; width: 55.2 cm (21.7 in). Medium: watercolor paint on paper. Depicted People: Pierre Terrail, seigneur de Bayard. Chevalier Bayard - Jean-Claude Rumeau
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