Editing Palace of Fontainebleau (section)

=== Henry II and Catherine de' Medici (1547–1570) ===
[[File:Fontainebleau Chateau Courtyard (1579).jpg|thumb|left|200px|The original horseshoe staircase by [[Philibert de l'Orme]] in the Courtyard of Cheval Blanc (1559)]]
Following the death of Francis I, [[Henry II of France|King Henry II]] continued to expand the chateau. The King and his wife, [[Catherine de' Medici]],  chose the architects [[Philibert de l'Orme]] and [[Jean Bullant]] to do the work. They extended the east wing of the lower court and decorated it with  a horseshoe-shaped staircase, which was later enlarged, and became a symbol of the château.

Their major project was the Oval Court,  which was designed to be the entrance to the new royal apartments. They transformed the [[loggia]] originally planned by Francis I into a Salle des Fêtes, or grand ballroom, with a coffered ceiling. Facing the courtyard of the fountain and the fish pond.

The decoration of the new ballroom featured murals by [[Francesco Primaticcio]], surrounded by elaborate stucco sculpture. A new generation of artists joined the work, including the [[Mannerism|Mannerists]] painters Primaticcio and [[Niccolò dell'Abbate]].{{sfn|Salmon|2011|p=9}} It was also the birthplace of [[Francis II of France|Francis II]], Henry II's firstborn son.

Following the death of Henry II in a jousting accident, his widow, [[Catherine de' Medici]], took over the project, which she carried out through the reigns of her three sons, Francis II, [[Charles IX of France|Charles IX]], and [[Henry III of France|Henry III]]. She named Primaticcio as the new superintendent of royal public works. He designed the section known today as the wing of the Belle Cheminée, noted for its elaborate chimneys and its two opposing stairways. In 1565, as a security measure due to the [[Religious war|Wars of Religion]], she also had a moat dug around the château to protect it against attack.{{sfn|Salmon|2011|p=9}}