Allegorie op het goede bestuur van Frankrijk
1685
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
362; 276
About this artwork
plaatrand: hoogte 276 mm x breedte 362 mm
Art Historical Context
Claude Mellan's *Allegorie op het goede bestuur van Frankrijk (Allegory of the Government of France), created 1685, is a striking measuring 276 mm high by 362 mm wide. As a master French engraver active during the Baroque era (1598–1688), Mellan was renowned for precise line work and intricate detail, techniques that shine in this intaglio print. Engravings like this were produced by incising designs into a copper plate, inking it, and pressing paper to capture fine textures—ideal for disseminating royal propaganda across Europe. Dated to the height of Louis XIV's reign, the Sun King's absolu...
About the Artist
Claude Mellan · 1598–1688
Claude Mellan (1598-1688) was a French draughtsman, engraver, and painter who became one of the most innovative printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Abbeville to a family of coppersmiths, Mellan rose to become Peintre et Graveur Ordinaire du Roi (Painter and Engraver in Ordinary to the King), achieving recognition for his extraordinary technical mastery. Mellan's artistic significanc...