Louis XIV and his armies crossing the Rhine into the Netherlands.

Etching, 31,4 x 52,8 cm, thick laid paper, signed in the plate at bottom left: "Dessigné sur les lieux; pour le Roy tres Chrestien, par F. Vander Meulen; Crépy sculp." and right: "Ad verum delineatus pro Rege Christianissimo per F. Vander Meulen", address at bottom centre: "a Paris chez Crêpy rue St. jacques à St. Pierre.", identification of the subject in the lower margin: "Le Rhin passé à la nage par les Francois, à la veuë de l'Armée de Hollande. 11 Juin 1672." (also in English) (browned, hole at top right, small brown stains, light creases, small tear at bottom left, marginal tears and inscription in pencil).

On 11 June 1672, the French King and his troops crossed the Rhine near the Tolhuis castle near Lobith and thus invaded the Netherlands. According to the signature Adam Frans van der Meulen, born in Brussels but active in France, was an eye-witness to this historic event. Paintings of this composition by Adam Frans van der Meulen are in Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum, inv. SK-A-3753) and Paris (Louvre, inv. 1490) and are dated ca. 1690.
Ref. IFF 18e V, p. 353, 8.