Equestrian portrait with battle scene, Adam Frans van der Meulen (Brussels 1632 – Paris 1690) circle of

Equestrian portrait with battle scene in the background

Circle of Adam Frans van der Meulen (Brussels 1632 – Paris 1690)

Oil on canvas (81 x 103 cm. Framed 105 x 124 cm.)

Complete details of the work (click HERE)

The centre of the composition is occupied by the equestrian portrait of a young knight, looking directly at the viewer with a proud expression, dressed in a dark military parade uniform with red details and a plumed hat.

The leader is mounted on a dark bay horse, depicted in a dynamic and impetuous pose, a classic motif in equestrian iconography to symbolize power and dominion. He holds a flintlock pistol, a highly prized weapon in 17th-century France, which became a symbol of prestige and military power, especially during the reign of the "Sun King."

In the background are the troops of an army preparing to fight a battle, with ranks of soldiers on horseback adding a narrative and historical-military context to the scene.

The work uses the rhetoric of royal power to show the subject in a context of military command and prestige.

The painting's style therefore fits into the genre of celebratory equestrian portraits, common between the 17th and 18th centuries, which emphasized the subject's status and authority. Although the exact identity of the condottiero is uncertain, the painting shares stylistic and thematic similarities with works by Italian and Flemish masters of the period.

The painting in question is the work of an artist from the circle of Adam Frans van der Meulen (Brussels 1632 – Paris 1690), a French Baroque painter of Flemish origins specializing in war scenes, and probably depicts a general in Louis XIV's army.

The great popularity of this artist is linked to the task entrusted to him by Louis XIV, King of France, as court painter during numerous wars and battles fought by France, including the War of Devolution (1667 – 1668) for the possession of the Netherlands, then under Spanish domination.
Commissioned by the Sun King, he traveled with the army and thus became an eyewitness to these events, in order to immortalize the monarch's military glories in painting: the works he created were then placed to embellish the various royal residences and donated to the highest officials of the army.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The work is sold complete with a pleasant antique frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and guarantee.

We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.

It is also possible to see the painting in the gallery in Riva del Garda, we will be happy to welcome you to show you our collection of works.

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