1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Meulen, Antony Francis van der

MEULEN, ANTONY FRANCIS VAN DER (1634–1690), Flemish painter, born in Brussels, was called to Paris about 1666 by Colbert, at the instance of Le Brun, to fill the post of battle painter to Louis XIV. His paintings during the campaigns of Flanders (1667) so delighted Louis that from that date Van der Meulen was ordered to accompany him in all his expeditions. In 1673 he was received into the French Academy, attained the grade of councillor in 1681, and died full of honours in Paris in 1690. He is best represented by the series of twenty-three paintings, mostly executed for Louis XIV., now in the Louvre. They show that he always retained his Flemish predilections in point of colour, although his style was modified by that of the French school.