Louis XIV at the Siege of Douai, Seen from the South-East (July 1–6, 1667)

Adam Frans van der Meulen

17th century · Black chalk, brush and gray wash. Framing lines in pen and black ink. · Drawings and Prints

Van der Meulen was born in Brussels and entered the service of French king Louis XIV in 1664. Under the direction of painter Charles Le Brun, who managed teams of artists and craftsmen on projects for the crown, he supplied designs glorifying French military battles to be woven into tapestries at the Gobelins manufactory. This quick study shows the French camp southeast of Douai, in the north of France. The major landmarks of the city can be identified in the background; the grouping of figures on horseback, however, appears to have been adapted for use in the foreground of a painting depicting the arrival of the king at the siege of Lille.

Artist

Adam Frans van der Meulen

Date

17th century

Medium

Black chalk, brush and gray wash. Framing lines in pen and black ink.

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1908