The Barbaste Tower Mill

This painting, kept at the Château de Pau, is an oil on canvas from 1817 painted by Alexandre-Louis Millin du Perreux. It depicts two emblems of Albret: the des Tours de Barbaste and Henri IV!

Henri, the kind-hearted

Henri de Navarre, the future Henri IV, recognizable by his white plume, his facial features (the length and curve of his nose, his famous mustache), and his costume (puffy breeches and a white lace ruff), stands on the left bank of the Gélise River in Barbaste. He extends his left hand to a man who has come to meet him.

The presence of the small boat on the left bank seems to indicate that Henri crossed the river by this means. This, of course, overlooks the presence of the Romanesque bridge at Barbaste, the first arch of which can be seen on the left edge of the painting. It was surely with the help of the bridge that Henri found himself on the left bank of the Gélise.

Henri does not seem to be going hunting, his favorite pastime, as he often did when crossing the Gélise from Nérac to go to the moors around

Durance. He is on foot; no horse awaits the King of Navarre, only a donkey that could possibly carry him, and the three greyhounds are clearly insufficient for hunting game! It seems more like a courtesy visit to his subjects: a benevolent king who cares about the daily lives of his people.

The historical context of the Restoration

In 1817, Millin du Perreux, who was close to the circles of power, wanted to portray a sovereign who was close to his people. Louis XVIII, who had been in power since Napoleon's fall in 1815, was a direct descendant of Henry IV. Louis XVI's brother brought back the

Bourbons on the throne of France and justified his return by recalling the positive memory of Henry IV: the first Bourbon king still enjoyed unrivaled popularity, which was very useful for the new king to remember. Iconography relating to Henry was abundant at that time!

The Miller of the Towers of Barbaste

Behind Henri, the Moulin des Tours mill, built by his ancestor Amanieu VII d'Albret in the early 14th century, demonstrates the unbreakable link between the future King of France and this fortress. Nicknamed in Gascony as "Lou Moulié de las tous dé Barbasto" (the miller of the Towers of Barbaste), Henri appreciated this emblem of Albret, the gateway to Nérac. As an anecdote, the roofs that top the four towers of the mill are anachronistic. Millin du Perreux was of course deceived by their presence in his time at the beginning of the 19th century, which was not the case under Henri IV.

A word about the artist

Trained in historical landscape painting, Millin du Perreux was one of the first landscape artists to address the nation's past. His works helped to develop an interest in French history and the sentimental landscape that emerged at the beginning of the century. Highly appreciated by Empress Josephine and protected by the Bourbons, he was appointed a member of the Arts Commission and awarded the Legion of Honor.

According to a journalist from La Dépêche on September 30, 1906, the President's reception in Nérac cost around twenty thousand francs, which, according to the INSEE converter, is equivalent to €79,448.81 in 2020! OnOctober 1 , 1906, Armand Fallières traveled to Mézin, where he received a triumphant welcome in his native village.