Born
at Carlsruhe in 1763, Melling studied under his uncle Joseph, a painter at
Strasbourg Academy and later joined his brother, an engineer in Klagenfurt,
Carinthia where he studied Mathematics and Architecture. At the age of nineteen
he joined the Russian Ambassador’s household and travelled to Italy, Egypt and
Smyrna, until finally settling in Constantinople. From his base in the city he journeyed
to the islands of the archipelago into Asia Minor and the Crimea.

Melling’s
work on the restoration of the Dutch residence Nestabad brought him to the
attention of Sultana Hadidge, sister to Selim III and in 1795 he was appointed Imperial
Architect, a post he held for eighteen years. He designed the Sultana’s neoclassical
palace at Defterdarburnu Ortakoy and set about improving the buildings along
the Bosporus, in addition to designing gardens, interiors, clothing and
jewelry. His close relationship to the Ottoman Court gave him privileged access
not normally afforded to commoners let alone Europeans thus allowing him the opportunity
to record an intimate picture of the city and its society.

In 1803 Melling returned to Paris and began
sourcing subscribers for what would become the monumental Voyage Pittoresque.
After six years he had enough funds to establish an engraving studio
employing some of the finest topographical engravers of his day. By 1819 all 12
issues with a total of 48 plates and 3 maps were published

Melling’s publication was wildly
successful; his exhibition of the original paintings at the Louvre
earned him the Gold Medal and led to his appointment as landscape painter to the
Empress Josephine. His appointment continued under the Restoration of Louis
XVIII, who named him a Knight of the Legion
of Honour following the publication of his Voyage
Pittoresque dans les Pyrenees Francaises shortly before his death.