Revelers at a Table in the Countryside
An obsessive draftsman and lifelong Parisian, Gabriel de Saint-Aubin chose local street scenes, theatrical performances, and festive gatherings as the main subjects of his art. The setting of Revelers at a Table in the Countryside was probably a rural tavern outside Paris, situated beyond the city walls to circumvent the city’s wine tax. The dapper individuals eat, drink, and flirt contentedly in a scene
that has all the charm and delicate sophistication of an eighteenth-century fête galante. The cheery respite from urban life recalls seventeenth-century Dutch genre scenes of merry companies congregating for a countryside festival or a tavern feast. Saint-Aubin’s spontaneous technique and vivacious use of line expresses the celebratory nature of drawings such as this one, intended purely for pleasure.
that has all the charm and delicate sophistication of an eighteenth-century fête galante. The cheery respite from urban life recalls seventeenth-century Dutch genre scenes of merry companies congregating for a countryside festival or a tavern feast. Saint-Aubin’s spontaneous technique and vivacious use of line expresses the celebratory nature of drawings such as this one, intended purely for pleasure.
Artwork Details
- Title: Revelers at a Table in the Countryside
- Artist: Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1724–1780 Paris)
- Date: 1760s
- Medium: Pen and black ink with bister wash over black chalk
- Dimensions: 9 15/16 × 7 11/16 in. (25.3 × 19.6 cm)
Framed: 24 × 18 in. (61 × 45.7 cm) - Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
- Object Number: 1975.1.701
- Curatorial Department: The Robert Lehman Collection
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