Standbeeld van een faun met cymbalen

About this artwork

Prent gebruikt voor: Félibien, André. Tableaux du Cabinet du roy. Statues et bustes antiques des maisons royales. Parijs: Imprimerie Royale, 1677. Het boek bevat 61 prenten van beelden en bustes uit Franse koninklijke collectie. Mellan vervaardigde in totaal achttien platen (zie ook British Museum, inv.nr. 1874,0808.1488). De verblijfplaats van het beeld is onbekend.

Art Historical Context

This exquisite engraving, *Standbeeld van een fa met cymbalen* (Statue of a Faun with Cymbals was created by the masterful French engraver Claude Mellan in 1677. Measuring 399 mm high by 285 mm wide, it captures the lively spirit of an ancient statue depicting a faun—a mischievous Roman woodland deity akin to a satyr—poised with cymbals, evoking the joyous music and dance of classical mythology. Mellan, renowned for his intricate line work and innovative techniques like single-stroke portraits, brings remarkable depth and texture to this reproduction. The print formed part of André Félibien's...

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...