Collection of Hunting, Genre and Battle Scenes.

MEULEN, ADAM FRANS VAN DER

Published by Paris, 1685

About this Item

Paris [c. 1685] , Large Folio (580 x 470mm), Contemporary Olive Straight-Grained Morocco, with 27 Fine Double-Page, Many Double-Page and Folding, Copper-Engraved Views. A Fine Collection. Van der Meulen was trained by the Belgian court painter Peter Snyders of Brussels. His first work as an independent artist was done in Brussels. He painted genre and history pieces. He joined the painters guild in his native city, Brussels, in 1651. Focussing his art on representing horses and landscapes, his fame crossed borders and in 1662 was called to Paris by Jean Baptiste Colbert at the instance of Charles Le Brun, to fill the post of battle painter to Louis IV of France.His paintings during the campaigns of Flanders in 1667 so delighted Louis that from that date van der Meulen was ordered to accompany him in all his expeditions. In 1673 he was received into the Academie Royale de Peintere et de sculpture, attained the grade of councillor in 1681, and died full of honours in Paris in 1690. According to Houbraken, he was famous for his battle scenes (Conquêtes), before being invited to France. After his first wife died, Le Brun's cousin fell in love with him and he dared not refuse her, but her expensive tastes ruined him. It is doubtful today how much of this story is true, since Houbraken mentions also that he earned quite a nice living from his royal protector, and all of his expenses were paid for when he was "campaigning". He was buried in the St. Hippolyte church in Gobelins. Adam Frans van der Meulen ran a flourishing workshop that assisted him in completing private commissions for patrons that did not belong to the court of Louis XIV. He also designed tapestries for the Gobelins factory that depicted accurate historical details of the battles, and created paintings of hunting parties and landscapes. The Plates are: 1.Château de Vincennes vu du côté du Parc ; 2. Château de Versailles comme il était cy-devant ; 3. Château de Versailles du côté de l Orangerie ; 4.Château de Fontainebleau du côté du jardin (triple plate folded in 4) ; 5. La Reine allant à Fontainebleau accompagnée de ses gardes: 6. Vue de la ville de Béthune en Artois (triple plate folded in 4); 7. Vue de la ville d Ardres du côté de la terre ; 8. vue de la ville et du port de Calais du côté de la terre (triple plate folded in 4); 9. Entrée du Roi dans Dunkerque (triple plate folded in 4); 10. Arrivée du Roi au camp devant Maastricht (triple plate folded in 3); 11. Saint Omer vu du côté du fort de Bournonville ; 12. Arrivée du Prince d Orange, défaite devant Mont-Cassel ; 13. Vue de Leuve dans le Brabant ; 14. Vue de la ville de Besançon du côté de la Dôle (triple plate folded in 4); 15. Dôle prise dans la première conquête (triple plate folded in 4); 16. Vue de la ville de Gray en Franche Comté ; 17. Vue de Saint Laurent de la Roche et du bourg en Franche Comté ; 18. Vue de Saint Laurent de la Roche du côté du bourg ; 19. Vue du château Ste Anne en Franche Comté ; 20. Vue du château Ste Anne comme il se voit par derrière la montagne ; 21. Vue de la ville et du château de Dinant sur la Meuse; 22. Vue du Luxembourg du côté des bains de Mansfeld ; 23. Le Roy à la chasse au cerf avec les Dames (peint à la demande du souverain) ; 24. Une scène de route non localisée ; 25/ Une scène de bataille non localisée (sans doute la bataille de Rocroi eu égard à la dédicace au Prince de Condé) ;26. Une vue d un bassin non localisée ; 27. Une scène cynégétique (hunting scene).

Seller Inventory # 310

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Collection of Hunting, Genre and Battle Scenes.
• Publisher: Paris
• Publication Date: 1685
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • E-Catalogue 3