The Newsmongers

1752
Not on view
Saint-Aubin’s prints were products of a messy and improvisational technique. He was not a specialist in the medium and appears to have alternated between inspiration and frustration, often returning years later to rework plates.

Inside an elegant café, five men lean in around a stove to share news or trade stories. In the background, flanking the central group, are two flirtatious couples, each seemingly made up of a male customer and a female employee. As often is the case with Saint-Aubin, the spaces of the city capture his attention as settings for human drama.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Newsmongers
  • Artist: Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1724–1780 Paris)
  • Date: 1752
  • Medium: Etching, early state
  • Dimensions: sheet: 4 1/4 x 6 in. (10.8 x 15.2 cm)
    image: 3 7/8 x 5 5/8 in. (9.8 x 14.3 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1939
  • Object Number: 39.31.3
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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