Who painted Madame de Maintenon?

Madame de Maintenon was painted by Augustin de Saint-Aubin in 1801.

Where can I see Madame de Maintenon?

Madame de Maintenon is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Madame de Maintenon?

Madame de Maintenon is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Madame de Maintenon

Augustin de Saint-Aubin , 1801

Madame de Maintenon is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Augustin de Saint-Aubin. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Madame de Maintenon is an 1801 engraving over etching on laid paper by Augustin de Saint-Aubin, depicting a portrait of a woman within an ornate oval frame. The work exemplifies the Saint-Aubin family's printmaking legacy in 18th-century France.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, Madame de Maintenon, is portrayed in a formal, slightly turned profile, adorned with loose curls, a pearl necklace, and dangling earrings. The image conveys a sense of elegance and refinement, though the engraving's context or Madame de Maintenon's identity beyond the portrait is not explicitly provided.

Technique & Style

The portrait combines engraving over etching, leveraging etching's capacity for fine lines and nuanced shading to achieve a detailed, near-three-dimensional appearance. This technique was characteristic of late 18th to early 19th-century portrait prints.

History & Provenance

Created in 1801 by Augustin de Saint-Aubin, the engraving continues his family's longstanding tradition in French printmaking. Specific provenance details (ownership history) are not provided.

Context

The work is situated within the broader context of French printmaking in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, where such portraits were popular. The use of etching reflects the period's technical preferences for achieving detailed, high-quality images.

Legacy

While the engraving demonstrates the Saint-Aubin family's skill and the enduring appeal of etching in portraiture, its broader impact or influence on subsequent artistic movements is not specified.

Artist & collection

Artist

Augustin de Saint-Aubin

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.