[Sidenote:
_Wool, Silk, Gold._
H. 15 _ft._ 8 _in._
W. 11 _ft._ 10 _in._
]
THE CONQUEST OF LOUIS THE GREAT: _Louis XIV on horseback with two
attendants points with his cane to the siege of a city whose defenses are
surrounded by water. In the upper border appear the arms of Count Bruhl of
Saxony. The piece is one of a set of seven._
[Sidenote: Formerly in the Lord Amherst Collection.]
[Sidenote: Illustrated: _Badin, La Manufacture de la Tapisserie de
Beauvais_, opp. p. 4.]
This is a very rare example from one of the earliest sets woven at
Beauvais when the factory was under the direction of Behagle. The cartoon
was designed either by Van der Meulen or his greatest pupil, Jean-Baptiste
Martin, later called Martin of the Battles, because of a famous series of
cartoons which he made for the Beauvais works illustrating the victories
of Sweden over Denmark.
The richness of the king's group stands out brilliantly against the
clear, cool color and sharp geometrical lines of the background. The city
with its canals and buildings is exquisitely rendered, an interesting
anticipation of an aeroplane view.
[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]
Adam Frans Van der Meulen (1632-1690) was a native of Brussels and
studied there under Peter Snayers, but on recommendation of Le Brun
was invited by Colbert to Paris, where he was pensioned by the king
and given apartments in the Gobelins. In 1673 be was received into
the Academy. He collaborated with Le Brun in making designs for the
Gobelins, notably for the series of _The History of the King_.
[Sidenote: 53-56]