Nicolas Robert, peintre ordinaire du Roy pour la miniature, was trained in Italy. On his return to France, the series of flowers, La Guirlande de Julie, painted for the Duc de Montausier for presentation to Mademoiselle Julie d'Angennes, brought him renown. He then entered the service of Gaston d'Orléans, brother of King Louis XIII for whom he started his series of drawings on vellum. On the death of the Duc, Colbert secured his services for the young King Louis XIV. Robert produced more than seven hundred velins for the King, now at the Bibliothéque du Musée d'Histoire naturelle, Paris