Drie putti met kardinaalshoed en band

About this artwork

Mellan ontwierp deze band voor de Imprimerie Royale (zie ook British Museum, inv.nr. 1851,1213.645). Tussen 1639-1643 werkte Mellan samen met de Imprimerie Royale (IFF 17e siècle, p. 21-22). Hij vervaardigde verschillende vignetten, letters, culs-de-lampe en decoratieve banden (IFF 17e siècle, p. 215-220).

Art Historical Context

Behold *Drie putti met kardinaalshoed en band* (Three Putti with Cardinal's Shoe and Band), a delicate engraving by the masterful French artist Claude Mellan, created between 1639 and 1643. Measuring just 55 mm high by 127 mm wide, this intricate piece captures three playful putti—those cherubic figures beloved in Baroque art—frolicking with a cardinal's shoe and ornate band. Mellan's engraving technique shines here, with its precise lines and fine details suited perfectly for reproduction in printed works. This artwork was specially designed for the prestigious Imprimerie Royale, France's ro...

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...