Le tonneau d'arrosage [upper half]
![Le tonneau d'arrosage [upper half] by Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/le-tonneau-darrosage-upper-half-nga-39498.webp)
Medium
etching, retouched with drypoint on laid paper
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.17.266.b
Art Historical Context
Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin *Le tonneau d’arrosage [upper half]* (1762) is a delightful etching retouched with dry on laid paper, capturing the whimsical spirit of mid18th-century Paris. As part of the National Gallery of Art’s Rosenwald CollectionDepartment CG-E), this print exemplifies Saint-Aubin’s prowess as a Rococo engraver, renowned for his intricate vignettes and satirical glimpses into everyday urban life. Created during the height of the Ancien Régime, just before the French Revolution, it reflects the era’s fascination with the bustling streets, fashions, and minor characters of ...
About the Artist
Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin · 1724–1780
Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin (14 April 1724 – 14 February 1780) was born in Paris into an artistic family — one of fourteen children of the court embroiderer and engraver G.-G. de Saint-Aubin. Art ran deep in the family: his brothers Charles Germain and Augustin de Saint-Aubin were also accomplished artists. Gabriel received his earliest training at home before entering the studios of Étienne Je...