Guillaume Coustou

Art Historical Context

This engraving over etching, created in1770 by Augustin de Saint-Aubin after a design by Charles-Nicolas Cochin II, presents a portrait of the celebrated French sculptor Guillaume Coustou. The small-scale print, measuring just 18 by 12.4 centimeters on laid paper, reflects the era’s interest in honoring prominent artists through reproducible imagery. Coustou, known for his dynamic Baroque sculptures, is depicted in a manner that conveys both dignity and creative authority. The technique of engraving over etching was widely valued in 18th-century France for its ability to combine precise lines with subtle tonal effects, allowing prints to circulate widely among collectors and scholars. Such works appeared in books or portfolios celebrating leading figures of the arts during the Enlightenment. Housed at the National Gallery of Art as a gift from John O’Brien, this print highlights the collaborative nature of the period’s artistic production, where designers and engravers together preserved the likenesses of influential creators for future generations.