Autumn (The Month of September): The Chateau of Saint-Cloud
Painting on canvas (originally part of a tapestry cartoon series) • Adam Frans van der Meulen (Flemish, 1632–1690) and workshop
Style & Movement
French Baroque; Academic Classicism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, employing a combination of detailed descriptive brushwork and atmospheric perspective for the receding landscape.
Creation Period
Circa 1668-1670
Dimensions & Format
Landscape format; approximately 100 x 140 cm (estimate for domestic scale versions), though the original royal cartoons were significantly larger.
Subject Description
A panoramic landscape featuring a royal hunting party in the foreground foreground with figures dressed in 17th-century French courtly attire. In the background, the original Château de Saint-Cloud is visible. The composition utilizes a 'repoussoir' large tree on the left to frame the vast estate and the rolling hills beyond, signifying the wealth and territorial reach of the French crown.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (based on visual image); showing typical age-related craquelure and slight yellowing of the varnish layers.
Estimated Market Value
$40,000 - $80,000 (Market value for workshop versions/attributions)
Auction Estimate
$30,000 - $50,000
Provenance History
Likely part of a series commissioned for the Manufacture des Gobelins under the direction of Charles Le Brun for King Louis XIV, or a contemporary workshop replica for a high-ranking court official.
Art Historical Significance
Van der Meulen was the premier painter of Louis XIV’s military campaigns and royal residences. This work is significant for documenting the lost architecture of Saint-Cloud and establishing the 'topographical' landscape tradition that glorified the French state. It serves as an essential record of the 'Maisons Royales' series.
Notable Features
The depiction of the ruffs and costume details provide precise dating; the specific architectural rendering of the château before its later destructions; a rare surviving example of a 'Months' cycle design.
Condition Issues
Visible surface grime, minor loss of pigment in the sky due to thinning, and evidence of previous restoration/relining common for 17th-century works of this size.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional surface cleaning to remove aged varnish; UV-filtered glazing for display; climate-controlled environment with 50% humidity to prevent canvas tension issues.