Jean-Baptiste Martin, sometimes called ‘Martin des Batailles’, was a pupil of the famous military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707), who introduced him to Adam Frans de Meulen (1630-90), with whom he completed his training. After Van de Meulen’s death Martin took over many of his royal commissions, generally panoramic depictions of Louis XIV victories, and his position as Director of the Gobelin Factory. After 1695 Martin collaborated with his relation Pierre-Denis Martin, completing a series of decorations for the Château de Marly in 1699.

The viewpoint in this painting is from the south, looking over the water called ‘La Piece des Suisses’ towards the Orangerie, down the length of the garden façade. In the centre Louis, Duc de Bourgogne (1682-1712), grandson and heir to Louis XIV, appears on a grey charger, wearing the Order of St Esprit, holds out his sword, about to deliver the coup de grace to a stag. He is surrounded by other men and hunting dogs. He would seem to be in his twenties which would date the painting to c. 1705.

This is one of a pair of paintings (RCIN 406957-8), acquired by George IV in 1827 from Alexis Delahante as the work of Van de Meulen (a painter he collected avidly). Each shows a French Royal château, Versailles and Marly; one includes the duc de Bourgogne and the other his wife, Marie-Adelaide. The pair were presumably commissioned by them or one of their entourage. Both works are of high quality and neither replicates any known composition. Both are in the style of Jean-Baptiste Martin – in particular the pattern of branches looking like palm fronds. However the trees lack the substance and the distance the softness of Martin’s autograph works.