Joseph Urbain Melin

Joseph Urbain Mélin, b. Paris 1814, d. 1886 Hunting scene with dogs attacking a stag. Signed and dated J. Mélin 1864. Oil on canvas. 250 x 400 cm. Unframed. Joseph Urbain Mélin was a known French painter of animals. In 1830 he began studying at the l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He exhibited at the Salon from 1836. He was a student of Paul Delaroche and David d'Angers. Provenance: "Store Kro" in Fredensborg. See p. 12.

Joseph Urbain Melin (French, 1814-1886) Portrait of a grey horse before alandscape signed and dated 'J. Melin/1883' (lower left), oil on canvas, 35 x 45.5cm (13 3/4 x 1715/16in). Footnote: Provenance: sale, Dreweatt, Watson and Barton, 1961 or 1962, House sale of aproperty of the Marquess of Aylesbury, Savernake Forest. It has been suggested that the horse depicted in this painting maybe a cross-breed with a Fresian stallion (in particular, thesimilarity of the low set tail), such those bred by Napoleon, toprovide the French army with better and stronger horses. Pure-bredFresian stallions were jet black, but cross breeding with a goodmare that was deemed suitable, could result in any colour, such asthe grey in the present painting.

Lot 23 Joseph Urbain Melin (French, 1811-1886) Hounds in Full Cry Signed and dated "J. Melin 1872" l.l., identified on a label from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, affixed to the stretcher. Oil on canvas, 15 1/4 x 21 in. (38.7 x 53.2 cm), framed. Condition: Lined, scattered retouch, fine scattered craquelure. Provenance: Descended within the family George Harold Edgell, 1887-1954. Edgell was an architectural historian and a professor of fine arts at Harvard University. In 1934 he became a curator of paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and assumed the directorship the following year. Estimate $3,000-5,000

Joseph Urbain Melin (French, 1814-1886) A black Spaniel signed and dated 'J. Melin 1875' (lower left) oil on canvas 20 x 17 1/2 in. (51 x 44 cm.)