Artwork
Le duc de Chartres, son epouse et ses enfants
Le duc de Chartres, son epouse et ses enfants is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Augustin de Saint-Aubin. It dates from 1779 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1779 by Augustin de Saint‑Aubin, this print combines etching and engraving to portray a domestic scene of the Duke of Chartres, his wife, and their children. The composition is set within an opulently furnished interior, emphasizing the family's status through elaborate furnishings, medals, and decorative details.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents the ducal family in a formal arrangement: the duchess seated on a couch with an infant, a young child standing beside her, and the duke in ceremonial dress displaying his medals and a hat. The inclusion of two small dogs and a grand painting in the background reinforces themes of lineage, domestic harmony, and aristocratic leisure.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Aubin employed a hybrid process of etching for fine lines and engraving for deeper, more precise strokes, allowing a rich tonal range. The careful rendering of textures—silks, wood paneling, and fur—demonstrates the artist’s skill in conveying materiality and depth within a single monochrome print.
History & Provenance
The work originates from a prolific French family of designers and engravers, with Augustin de Saint‑Aubin active in the late eighteenth century. It was likely commissioned to commemorate the duke’s household, though specific ownership records after its creation are sparse, reflecting the typical circulation of aristocratic portrait prints of the period.
Context
Produced on the eve of the French Revolution, the print reflects the prevailing taste for refined portraiture among the nobility. It aligns with contemporary French printmaking trends that emphasized elegance, detailed interior settings, and the visual affirmation of social rank through symbolic objects such as medals and heraldic décor.
Artist & collection
Artist
Augustin de Saint-Aubin sometimes styled Auguste de Saint-Aubin (3 January 1736 – 9 November 1807), belongs to an important dynasty of French designers and engravers.
