Le Scelerat Damiens

Art Historical Context

Created in 1757 by the French artist Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, *Le Scelerat Damiens* is an intimate etching that presents a portrait of a man at the center of a dramatic moment in French history. The compact image, measuring just over six by five inches, demonstrates the precision of etching, a technique prized in the eighteenth century for its ability to capture fine details while allowing prints to circulate widely among viewers. The title identifies the subject as Robert-François Damiens, whose attempted attack on Louis XV earlier that year made him a figure of intense public attention. Saint-Aubin’s work belongs to the tradition of printmaking that documented current events, offering museum visitors a direct glimpse into how artists responded to contemporary scandals and political tensions. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this small yet powerful portrait highlights the role of etchings in shaping public memory. Through economical lines and focused composition, Saint-Aubin transforms a likeness into a lasting historical record.

About the Artist

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin · 1724–1780

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (1724–1780) was one of the most vivid and irrepressible graphic artists of eighteenth-century France, a tireless draughtsman whose sketchbooks and prints constitute an extraordinary visual chronicle of Parisian life during the Ancien Régime. Born into a family with strong connections to the decorative arts — his father was an embroiderer to the king — Saint-Aubin received fo...