The Rhine Swum Across By The French In Sight Of The Dutch Army - 17th Century

"The Rhine swum by the French in sight of the Dutch Army" Crépy, Louis (1660?-1730). Engraver June 11, 1672 / Designed on the spot, for the Tres-Christian King, by F. Vander Meulen. Distributed in Paris, by the Author, in the Hostel des Manufactures Royales des Gobelins, And in rue St Jacques, With privilege of the King.”; Latijnse inscr. op plaat br “Tranatus a Gallis Rhenus, Batavorum exercitu ripam adversam obtinente XI Junii 1672 / Ad Verum delineatus pro Rege Christianissimo per F. Vander Meulen. Prostat Parisiis apud Authorem, in Regia Artium officina Vulgo dicta, des Gobelins, Et in via Jacobea. Cum privilegio Regis.” CRE SIMONNEAU, Charles; (French; 1645-1728) , Adam Frans van der MEULEN; (Dutch; 1632-1690) Adam Frans van der MEULEN; (Dutch; 1632-1690) A Flemish Baroque artist specializing in horses and landscapes, he was invited to work for Louis XIV as a painter of views of royal castles, hunting scenes, processions, journeys, and military campaigns. Traveling with the troops and making sketches of battle scenes, van der Meulen's fresh style influenced the development of the relatively new genre of battlescapes. After the success of his paintings depicting the campaigns in Flanders, he had many of his works engraved. Most of these were included in the remarkable collection of engravings known as the Cabinet du Roi, which was initiated by Louis XIV's minister, J.B. Colbert. As early as 1670, these engravings were published and given as gifts to visiting dignitaries or put up for sale. This print depicts the French army crossing the Rhine in 1672 during the Dutch War, in which France claimed parts of the Low Countries. Van der Meulen commissioned a small group of engravers to copy his works, including the French engraver Charles Simonneau. Reference: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b84051192.item#