Portret van Jean Perrault 1652

This processional scene was made with pen and brown ink, with a brush and watercolor, in the 17th century. It depicts noblemen in a formal arrangement. What immediately strikes you is the care and precision of the rendering. Mellan has used the pen with the steady hand of an engraver. You can almost imagine him tracing the scene, as if cutting into a copper plate. Look closely, and you can see the light, delicate hatching that gives the figures volume. And the washes of color, they subtly bring the scene to life, adding depth to the costumes. The social context here is crucial. This is a depiction of power and status. The men are all in ceremonial dress, bearing flags and emblems. Their garments and horse trappings are rendered with painstaking accuracy, emphasizing the importance of heraldry and display to the nobility. The work speaks to the importance of craft and skill in affirming social standing. It is a reminder that artistic practices are not only about aesthetics, but about the making and solidifying of social hierarchies.