During this later period in Paris, Mellan mostly engraved his own work. He was much sought after as a portrait artist, drawing from life and engraving the portraits. Among his subjects were members of the royal family of Bourbon. His drawings "reveal more variety of style and execution than he showed in the engravings." Two examples, for which both a drawing (Nationalmuseum, Stockholm) and an engraving exist, are portraits of Marie-Louise de Gonzague-Nevers (Préaud no. 167) and Henri de Savoie, Duc de Nemours (Préaud no. 182).