Scenes from the Tuileries: The Chairs and the Water Cart

Art Historical Context

Gabriel Jacques de Saint-Aubin *Scenes from the Tuiler: The Chairs and the Cart* (1760, retouched 1763) offers a delightful glimpse into 18th-century Parisian life This pair of etchings, printed from a single plate on ivory laid paper captures two vignettes from theileries Gardens—a beloved public oasis in the heart of Paris. Measuring about 7 11/16 × 7 5/8 inches each, the images evoke the leisurely rhythms of urban recreation just before the French Revolution. Saint-Aubin, a prolific French engraver and illustrator active in the Rococo era, excelled at witty, observational prints of everyday scenes. Here, one etching shows neatly arranged chairs for garden strollers, while the other depicts a water cart quenching the summer dust—simple motifs brimming with charm and social observation. The artist’s technique shines through: fine etched lines provide crisp detail, enhanced by drypoint retouches for velvety depth and texture, a nod to the innovative printmaking of the Enlightenment. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Prints and Drawings Department, this work highlights the cultural allure of Paris’s public gardens as democratic spaces for all classes, blending artistry with the vibrancy of street life. It invites us to pause and appreciate the artistry in the ordinary.

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...