Cul-de-lampe met leeuwenkop

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 240

Art Historical Context

Claude Mellan's *Cul-de-lampe met leeuwenkop* (Tailpiece with Lion's Head), created between 1639 and 1643, is a example of 17th-century engraving. Mellan, a master engr renowned for his intricate line work—most famously seen in his single-spiral portraits—produced this small vignette (101 × 134 mm) as a decorative *cul-de-lampe*, a tailpiece traditionally placed at the end of chapters to fill space with ornamental flair. The fierce lion's head motif evokes classical symbolism of strength and nobility, drawing from Baroque interests in heraldry and antiquity during Mellan's time working in Rome...

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...