Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin
Le Duel (The Duel)in or after 1756
Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin made this (in or after 1756), aged 35. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. More about this work
About this work
This is a drawing of anthropomorphic butterflies engaged in a duel with fencing swords. The butterflies have human-like bodies with wings resembling cloaks or capes. They stand on an ornate structure featuring decorative architectural elements like columns with floral and leaf motifs. Above them are arches, canopies, and hanging vines, creating a theatrical setting. The drawing combines fantasy and nature elements, showcasing elegance and imagination.
Description from the National Gallery of Art.
Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin made this (in or after 1756), aged 35. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
How it was made
- Etching
- The artist draws with a needle through a waxy coating on a copper plate, and acid bites the exposed lines. The plate is then inked, wiped and printed under pressure, so the line keeps the freedom of drawing.
- Laid paper
- Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.
Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin
French, 1721–1786
Rights and the museum’s record
Public domain. The National Gallery of Art has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.
- Object number
- 1958.8.132
- Credit
- Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
- Type
- Licence
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Museum record
- See it on the museum’s site
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Close in colour
