Partie du Cabinet d’Aubin/Part of Aubin’s Cabinet

1780

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Partie du Cabinet d’Aubin/Part of Aubin’s Cabinet is a 1780 by Stefano Superchi, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Stefano Superchi
When & what style?: 1780 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This print looks like a fancy cabinet with small portraits tucked into its shelves. At the top, a woman sits in a cloud, holding a scroll. The sides have vines and flowers, and each shelf has a tiny picture of a person with a name like "C. de Braud" or "M. Struensee." The center shows a building with a spire, labeled "Grande Chambre." The names on the shelves might be people who owned or admired Aubin’s collection. The whole thing feels like a mix of art and decoration from a long time ago. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more prints like this.

The story of this work

Overview

This etching on paper was created as a bookplate or collector’s label for Aubin’s Cabinet des Figures de Cire, a Parisian gallery of waxwork figures active in the 1780s. The print depicts an ornamental frame adorned with roses, ribbons, and a medallion portrait, framing exhibits such as wax death masks, busts, hands, and a Chinese grotto, reflecting the gallery’s blend of macabre and exotic attractions. The inclusion of both French and English text suggests it catered to English visitors, likely serving as a souvenir for those purchasing small wax models. The print was etched by Stefano…

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Stefano Superchi

Stefano Superchi made prints in the late 1700s. His work “Partie du Cabinet d’Aubin” shows a room packed with books, shells, coins, and art tools on shelves—think of it as a 1780s Instagram of a collector’s study. The…

See the richer artist page