1763
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Allégorie sur l'Erection de la Statue de Louis XV (Allegory on the Establishment of a Statue of Louis XV) is a 1763 ink by Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two draped figures kneeling in front of a tall pedestal with a broken statue on top. Behind them are two more stone blocks, each carved with long lines of text. The scene looks unfinished, with loose pencil marks and smudges. The figures hold tools like chisels, and the whole setup feels like a work in progress. The broken statue at the center might hint at something unfinished or lost. The text on the blocks is in French, but it’s hard to read—it could be names or a dedication. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints with acid and needles.
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin was a French draftsman, printmaker, etcher and painter.
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