Louis XIV at the Siege of Cambrai, Seen from the South-West (March 20–April 19, 1677) 1677 - 1686

Adam van der Meulen made this drawing of Louis XIV at the Siege of Cambrai in 1677. Here, we see the French monarch surveying the siege from a rise overlooking the besieged city. Van der Meulen, official painter to Louis XIV, provides a bird’s eye view of military might, but he gives equal attention to the costumes of the soldiers and the landscape that surrounds them. Consider this image in the context of the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, which was established to regulate artistic production and promote the glory of the king. In its time, this drawing was more than just a record; it was a carefully constructed piece of propaganda that aimed to legitimize Louis XIV's rule. By studying such images, alongside archival documents and period accounts, we can begin to understand the complex interplay between art, power, and society in 17th-century France. The image and its history remind us that art never exists in a vacuum.