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Frontispiece of the first volume of The Law of War and Peace, Divided into Three Books by Hugo Grotius (1583-1645) and translated from Latin into French by Antoine de Courtin (1622-1685), with an allegorical representation with the bust of King Louis XIV, who is glorified there. Title, with vignette, and signed by P. Sevin and C. Vermeulen and dated 1687. Note that this frontispiece does not appear in the successive editions of 1688, 1703, 1746, 1759 and 1768.
Cornelis Vermeulen or Cornelis Martinus Vermeulen was a 17th century Flemish engraver, born around 1644 in Antwerp in the province of Flanders in Belgium. He trained in Peeter Clouwet's studio. He worked many times in Paris during short stays but without really settling in the French capital. His portrait engravings and book illustrations made him famous. He died around 1708 in Antwerp.
Pierre-Paul Sevin was born May 8, 1646 in Tournon-sur-Rhône (Ardèche) and died in the same city on February 2, 1710. He was a history painter and illustrator of allegorical compositions in the reign of Louis XIV. Born into a family of painters and first trained by his father, Pierre-Paul Sevin became a distinguished painter, decorator, illustrator and scenographer. On the death of his father, the young artist entered the Jesuit college in Lyon where he met Claude-François Ménestrier (1631-1705) and forged a long friendship with him. On the recommendation of Ménestrier, and with the help of the royal painter Charles Le Brun, Sevin was made a resident of the French Academy in Rome, recently created by King Louis XIV in 1666. While in Rome, Sevin documented into drawings many events that took place in the city, for which he also provided his own decorative motifs. In Venice, he recorded important processions and festivities that took place in the Lagoon during the first years of the 1670s. On his return to Paris, Sevin, in collaboration with Ménestrier, obtained numerous royal commissions, providing designs for ceremonial decorations for births, weddings, funerals and princely entrances.
Sources: Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 1999 Edition; Bibliotheca Visseriana, 1925; Archives de France.
Artists: Cornelis Vermeulen (1644-1708) and Pierre-Paul Sevin (1646-1710).
Signed and dated 1687.
Medium: Etching on paper.
Condition: Very good condition.
Dimensions: 25 x 18.7 cm. / 9 ¾ x 7 ½ in. (sheet).
Frame: 52 x 47 cm. / 20 ½ x 18 ½ in. Wood, very good condition.
Origin: France.
