Daniel Marot's The Siege of the Dutch Fortified City of Ypres by Louis XIV
"Ypres, Grand Ville Riche & Marchande" is an engraving and etching by Daniel Marot (le Vieux) (1661–1752). It depicts a view of the siege of the city of Ypres and its citadel on the left in the Spanish Netherlands by Louis XIV's troops. This battle took place between March 18 and March 25, 1678, as part of the Franco-Dutch War. Marot illustrated in great detail (best appreciated with magnification) the French attack on the strong pentagonal citadel on the extreme left, which had been built recently in anticipation of a French attack. The trenches built by the French approaching the town are seen on the right. King Louis XIV can be seen in the foreground surveying the battle mounted on his white horse, surrounded by his officers and troops.
Creator: Daniel Marot (1661 - 1752, Dutch)
Creation Year: 1680
Dimensions: Height: 25.38 in (64.47 cm)
Width: 22.63 in (57.49 cm)
Depth: 0.88 in (2.24 cm)
Medium: Etching, Engraving
Condition: See description below.
"Ypres, Grand Ville Riche & Marchande" is an engraving and etching by Daniel Marot (le Vieux) (1661–1752). It depicts a view of the siege of the city of Ypres and its citadel on the left in the Spanish Netherlands by Louis XIV's troops. This battle took place between March 18 and March 25, 1678, as part of the Franco-Dutch War. Marot illustrated in great detail (best appreciated with magnification) the French attack on the strong pentagonal citadel on the extreme left, which had been built recently in anticipation of a French attack. The trenches built by the French approaching the town are seen on the right. King Louis XIV can be seen in the foreground surveying the battle mounted on his white horse, surrounded by his officers and troops.
Creator: Daniel Marot (1661 - 1752, Dutch)
Creation Year: 1680
Dimensions: Height: 25.38 in (64.47 cm)
Width: 22.63 in (57.49 cm)
Depth: 0.88 in (2.24 cm)
Medium: Etching, Engraving
Condition: See description below.
"Ypres, Grand Ville Riche & Marchande" is an engraving and etching by Daniel Marot (le Vieux) (1661–1752). It depicts a view of the siege of the city of Ypres and its citadel on the left in the Spanish Netherlands by Louis XIV's troops. This battle took place between March 18 and March 25, 1678, as part of the Franco-Dutch War. Marot illustrated in great detail (best appreciated with magnification) the French attack on the strong pentagonal citadel on the extreme left, which had been built recently in anticipation of a French attack. The trenches built by the French approaching the town are seen on the right. King Louis XIV can be seen in the foreground surveying the battle mounted on his white horse, surrounded by his officers and troops.
Creator: Daniel Marot (1661 - 1752, Dutch)
Creation Year: 1680
Dimensions: Height: 25.38 in (64.47 cm)
Width: 22.63 in (57.49 cm)
Depth: 0.88 in (2.24 cm)
Medium: Etching, Engraving
Condition: See description below.
The print is presented in an attractive ornate black wood frame with a cream-colored double mat with a black inner trim. It is glazed with plexiglas. The frame measures 25.38" x 22.63" x .88". The engraving, frame, mat and glazing are in excellent condition.
Artist: Daniel Marot (1661–1752) was also called "Le Vieux". He was the son of the famous architect, Jean Marot. Marot had diverse interests and talents. In addition to his art, he designed garden projects, architectural ornaments, furniture, and even upholstery. Marot as a Huguenot protestant was forced to leave France in 1685 following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. He emigrated to Holland, where he worked for William of Orange (an arch enemy of his former employer Louis XIV). Marot was largely responsible for the interiors of Williams palace at the Loo. In 1694 he went Britain as William had married Queen Mary and he had become King William III of England. He later returned to Holland in about 1698 and died in the Hague in 1752. He left a lasting legacy on the decorative arts in the Netherlands, where his grand version of the Louis XIV style remained popular into the 1730s.
Historical Background: In October 1677, Mary Stuart, niece and possible successor of Charles II of England, married Louis XIV's arch enemy William III of Orange. Louis decided to invade the Spanish Netherlands to counter a possible English military intervention against him. In one of his maneuvers of this military campaign, Louis deceived the Spanish into thinking that his target was Luxembourg or Namur, but instead advanced on Ypres. The Spanish and Dutch then redirected their troops from Ghent to Ypres to reinforce its defense. The French then suddenly turned on Ghent and the depleted garrison was quickly defeated. The Dutch and their allies the Spanish expected an attack against Namur or Luxembourg, but Louis deceived them by directing his troops towards Ypres causing the Spanish to take troops from the Ghent garrison and send them to reinforce Ypres. Louis then redirected his troops to Ghent, quickly capturing the city with its depleted defenses on March 9. He then continued to Ypres and laid siege to that fortified city on March 18. Vauban, the French master military engineer, dug approach trenches towards the citadel. The Spanish flooded the approaches to the fortification, but the French had already advanced too far to be hindered by this action. They pounded the city with high caliber cannons and mortars for a week and then mounted a successful attack quickly conquering the city.
