Adam Frans van der Meulen

A l'oeil nu, le tableau est dans un bel état général de conservation. Il a fit l'objet d'un réentoilage dans la première moitié du XXe siècle, très correctement réalisé et qui n'a pas tassé la matière. Il a fait l'objet d'un nettoyage récent, très corectement réalisé. Pas de restaurations visibles à l'oeil nu. A la lampe UV : on constate des traces de vernis vert ancien. Quelques petites restaurations dans le ciel. Une restauration plus importante, oblique, au niveau des rayons du soleil, et des petites restaurations circulaires dans le groupe de personnages à cheval entrant dans le fleuve et dans la jambe gauche du personnage au centre, petite restauration dans l'extrême droite au centre. To the naked eye, the painting is in a nice overal condition. It has been relined in the first half of the XXth century, which did not flattened the painted surface at all. It has been recently cleaned, in a very nice way. We cannot see any restoration to the naked eye. Under the UV light : we can see some remains of an old green varnish. Few restorations in the sky. A more important restoration can be seen around the sun rays and small circled restorations in the horsemen group entering in the river. A little restoration in the leg of the character in the centre and few tiny touches in the very right part of the composition in the centre.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

 Painter of Louis XIV's battles, Adam Frans van der Meulen depicts here a monumental event during the Sun King's campaigns in Holland, the passage of the Rhine. It is the moment when the King's troops presented as war leaders and led by Louis de Bourbon Condé, located to the right of the Duke of Longueville and possibly the Duke of Orleans, crossing the Rhine along Schenkenschanz, on the border of the eastern United Provinces, on June 12th 1672. This painting shows van der Meulen's usual configuration of battle themes with a great panoramic scene offering the widest possible view of the combat, but also the most exhaustive, since the painter went to the location to do the surveys¹. A composition bearing the same name and very similar to this painting is currently in the Louvre Museum, and dated around 1675 (INV.1490).