The Expulsion of the Jesuits
In the ancien régime, the church was seen as a validation of royal authority. This etching commemorates a decree issued by the French Parliament in 1761 ordering the expulsion of the Jesuits from France. In the two roundels, we see the burning of their books and the closing of their schools. Various symbols of justice border the scene: the sword, the hand, and the balance, which is shown with its two circular pans in the upper corners. The fox with its tail cut off refers to a fable by Jean de La Fontaine. The unfortunate fox tells the others that they should also part with their tails before he is discovered to be acting out of self-interest.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Expulsion of the Jesuits
- Artist: Gabriel de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1724–1780 Paris)
- Date: 1761
- Medium: Etching, first state
- Dimensions: sheet: 5 1/2 x 8 3/16 in. (14 x 20.8 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Purchase, A. Hyatt Mayor Purchase Fund, Marjorie Phelps Starr Bequest; The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund; and Phyllis Dearborn Massar Gift, 2002
- Object Number: 2002.11
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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