E: 31/03 Win a Mystery Prize, an iPod Nano & 4 RU Prizes (Effort)

cistolic

Probably way off and giving useless information here as the clues say its a building but tried the theory of paintings by David Teniers the Younger, called St. Anthony and St. Paul. (puzzled by the red and blue bit though). St Anthony and St Paul were painted at a cave and there is a cave at Pech d'En-Couty. Chateau des Ducs de Joyeuse (an hotel) is very near and almost central to the four towns which form a square. Primary greeting puzzles me too unless its reception at the hotel.

I then found this which is too good to be true 'Treasure of the Visigoths'http://www.rennes-le-chateau-rhedae.com/rlc/treasure.html

IanCTR

I haven't looked at the St Anthony and St Paul painting yet, so I'll Google it. It might only be relevant for the overlaid square. I'll Google the cave as well.
The verses don't actually state that the painting is hung in a building, although that seems most likely.
I'll look again at Rennes le Chateau, using your link.
12:23 AM!!!

IanCTR

The four towns "Complete the square in which my painting is hung." We could try taking a suitably-sized printout of the painting "Peasants Merry-making" and lay it on top of a map of the four towns.
"Between the Red Hat and the Blue, there lays your town.
The painting isn't hung there at all, in the normal sense of the word.

It seems we are getting closer to the "location within that town". I don't want to spoil this competition by going too far, especially as it doesn't end until 31 March 2012.

novo_2

I have been reading (and enjoying!) the book. It looks like we're on the right track. In the book, the square of Teniers is a square that connects important objects in the paintings, especially important are birds and eyes. The secret location follows from a verse. Just like what we talked about, you overlay the square the four towns form over the painting, and the location you are seeking is the object from the verse. I have tried in photoshop to put the square from the map over the painting of the peasants, and I'm trying to line it up.



Sorry it looks a bit budget, but I tried lining the square up with the birds, with eyes and it also cuts through the red hat. In the area between the red hat and the blue dress, I can only find one town on the map, which also has a fitting location within that town. But how can we check if it's right?

kadrjd0304

Primary greeting may refer to inscription on brass plaque on the main front door. Have picture but can't enlarge enough to read.

kadrjd0304

Brilliant novo

kadrjd0304

The Blue might just refer to the sky

kadrjd0304

Doh! Brass plaque mentioned is on front door of Chateau des Ducs de Joyeuse.

IanCTR

It isn't relevant to the puzzle, but I note that a Teniers' painting was sold on 6 July 2011 at Sotheby's for £217,250.

Again, it doesn't add to what we know, but the eyes and birds are also mentioned at http://www.andrewgough.co.uk/pentagon2.html - by coincidence, even Rennes-le-Chateau gets a mention.

novo_2

the secret location in the book itself is a little town, that falls within the area of the red hat and the blue dress in the picture I put together... you think it might be the same?