Title page from Essai de Papilloneries Humaines par Saint Aubin
Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin
ca. 1756–60 · Etching; first state of two · Drawings and Prints
Charles Germain, Saint-Aubin’s eldest brother, achieved fame as embroidery designer to the king (his treatise on the subject is in a case nearby). His satiric wit, however, found an outlet in his playful etchings of butterfly protagonists poking fun at their human counterparts. The title page of his second set combines his talent for ornament and humor. Butterflies and mice cavort around an obelisk while fireworks explode into fantastical floral forms.
- Artist
- Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin
- Date
- ca. 1756–60
- Medium
- Etching; first state of two
- Department
- Drawings and Prints
- Credit line
- The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund and Rogers Fund, 1982
