The well-known portrait of _Jean le Bon_, father of Charles V of France, in the Bibliothèque Nationale is considered to be the prototype of French portraits, and it is therefore not inopportune to compare it with the later portraiture. It was discovered by Gaignières at Oyron, an old château of the Gouffier family, and was the only painting which the Regent in 1717 thought worth keeping out of the sale of this collector's treasures. It is ascribed to Girard d'Orléans, who is recorded as having assisted Jean de Coste to decorate the Château de Vaudreuil. Girard is also known to have accompanied the King to England, when the latter was held prisoner there after the Battle of Poitiers. It is not improbable that this portrait--which is one of a set of four--was painted during his captivity.[72] Executed in England it no doubt gave an impulse to English Art of the same kind; although it is an undisputed fact that at that period there already existed the paintings in St. Stephen's Chapel at Westminster,[73] through which England would appear to have a reason to claim--as suggested by Mr. Lionel Cust[74]--priority in time over France. On the other hand, there is nothing in England to compare with the exquisite miniature portrait of the _Duc de Berry_ in the _Très Riches Heures_ or with the work of Fouquet half a century later. The portrait in the _Très Riches Heures_ of the _Duc de Berry_--who, by the way, along with his brother Louis d'Anjou, shared their father's captivity in England--was most probably painted from life, since it has that note of realism which is so characteristic of all French Art. Another remarkable portrait is that of _Louis II of Anjou_, King of Sicily, also copied by Gaignières. Its date is 1415 and a miniature of it is to be found in the _Livre d'Heures_ which once belonged to King René.[75] We hear also of an artist whom Charles VI, when choosing a consort, sent to the various Courts of Europe to paint the portraits of eligible Princesses. The name of this artist has, unfortunately, not come down to us. [Illustration: Plate XLIX. Photo. Giraudon. SEIGNEUR DE PALISSE. Attributed to J. Perréal. (About 1515). Photo. Giraudon. COMTE DE LIGNY. Attributed to J. Perréal. (About 1505). Musée Condé. _To face page 202._]