Artwork
The Passage of the Rhine on June 12, 1672
The Passage of the Rhine on June 12, 1672 is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Adam Frans van der Meulen. It is held in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1691 by the Flemish artist Adam Frans van der Meulen, this oil on canvas records the crossing of the Rhine on 12 June 1672, a decisive episode of the Franco‑Dutch War. The work is part of the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and exemplifies the Flemish Baroque approach to large‑scale historical narrative.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a massive French army fording the river, its troops arrayed in vivid uniforms and mounted on horses. A prominently dressed rider on a white horse gestures toward the water, directing the advance. The scene emphasizes the organization and momentum of the French forces, underscoring the strategic importance of the Rhine crossing in the war.
Technique & Style
Van der Meulen employs a meticulous, almost documentary level of detail: the folds of fabric, the musculature of the horses, and the varied textures of the landscape are rendered with precise brushwork. A muted, cloudy sky lends a sober atmosphere, while the bright colors of the uniforms and the gleam of armor draw the eye across the bustling foreground.
History & Provenance
Commissioned as part of a series celebrating Louis XIV’s military successes, the painting was produced nearly two decades after the event it records. It entered the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s holdings in the 20th century, where it remains on view as a representative example of French‑propaganda art from the Sun King’s reign.
Context
The work belongs to a broader tradition of Flemish Baroque history painting, where artists combined dramatic narrative with meticulous observation. Van der Meulen, a court painter for Louis XIV, frequently collaborated with other specialists to produce large battle panoramas that reinforced the monarch’s image as a victorious ruler.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adam Frans van der Meulen or Adam-François van der Meulen (11 January 1632 – 15 October 1690) was a Flemish painter and draughtsman who was particularly known for his scenes of military campaigns and conquests.
