View of a ward at the Hôpital Saint-Jean, Angers, France (litho)

This hospital was one of three hospitals founded in 1175 by the order of Henry II Plantagenet (1133-89) King of England (1154-89) and Count of Anjou (1151-89) ) in expiation of the murder of Saint Thomas of Canterbury; in 1640, the religious order of the Daughters of Charity under the direction of Mademoiselle Le Gras (Saint Louise de Marillac) (1591-1660) took over the running of the hospital which remained in use for up to 500 sick people until the 19th century; today the building is a museum of the work of the artist Jean Lurçat; this illustration shows the main ward of the hospital (Grande Salle des Malades) which now houses Lurçat's tapestry of the Chant du Monde;