Artwork
Les chaises [lower half]
![Les chaises [lower half], by Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, ink, 1760](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/gabriel-de-saint-aubin--les-chaises-lower-half--64ee3834eccfb109-w1024.webp)
Les chaises [lower half] is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Gabriel de Saint-Aubin. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin's *Les chaises [lower half]* (1760) is an etching retouched with drypoint on laid paper, depicting a scene of a crowd seated in chairs, likely in the Tuileries Garden, Paris.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a large audience watching an unseen performance or speech, with a statue on a pedestal to the left and trees set against a dark background. The title *Spectacles des Tuileries* suggests the setting is the Tuileries Garden.
Technique & Style
Saint-Aubin employed a combination of etching and drypoint techniques to achieve depth, utilizing varied line work and shading to create visual interest and dimensionality in the composition.
History & Provenance
Created in 1760, the artwork's provenance is not detailed here, focusing instead on its creation context as a print from the mid-18th century.
Context
The piece reflects 18th-century French interest in depicting everyday and public life, particularly in renowned Parisian settings like the Tuileries Garden.
Legacy
While specific legacy details are not provided, *Les chaises [lower half]* contributes to the broader understanding of 18th-century French printmaking and the documentation of Parisian life during that era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gabriel de Saint-Aubin was a French draftsman, printmaker, etcher and painter.
