Title page from Essay on Butterflies Masquerading as Humans (Essai de Papilloneries Humaines)

Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin French

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 690

Charles Germain, Saint-Aubin’s eldest brother, achieved fame as embroidery designer to the king (his treatise on the subject is in a case nearby). His satiric wit, however, found an outlet in his playful etchings of butterfly protagonists poking fun at their human counterparts.

The title page of his second set combines his talent for ornament and humor. Butterflies and mice cavort around an obelisk while fireworks explode into fantastical floral forms.

Title page from Essay on Butterflies Masquerading as Humans (Essai de Papilloneries Humaines), Charles Germain de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1721–1786 Paris), Etching; first state of two

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