1772
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Five Busts is a 1772 ink by Augustin de Saint-Aubin, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows five quick sketches of faces—two women and three men—all turned slightly to the side. The lines are loose and sketchy, like a fast study. The women wear simple dresses with high necklines, and the men have neckties or cravats. The artist used a technique called *etching*, where ink is scratched into a metal plate to create the lines. This method lets you see both fine details and bold strokes. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this one made prints.
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.
See the richer artist page
![Two Head Studies and a Crouching Nude Woman; Two Women's Heads and a Head of Child [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/fe3fee334eaa34d1/thumb.webp)
![Five Studies of Heads; A Boy in Profile with Studies of Hands and Feet [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/71c9c87fde7c63ab/thumb.webp)
