Portrait of the artist’s wife, Louise-Nicole Godeau Saint-Aubin

Augustin de Saint-Aubin belonged to a family of artists. Both of his brothers - Gabriel and Charles-Germain - were painters. Augustin was a prolific printmaker and worked mostly on a small scale. Together with religious and mythological compositions, he produced numerous portraits finely drawn in chalk. The artist loved to depict his wife, Louise-Nicole Godeau, whom he married in 1764. Several portraits of Louise-Nicole by Augustin survive. Among these is an interesting drawing of her, depicted as the muse of Painting, in which she is graciously seated and holds a pencil case, while looking at her beloved portrayed on the canvas (sold at Christie’s, New York, 1 November 2018, lot 1128).

Louise-Nicole Godeau was herself a capable artist: at least three drawings by her hand are mentioned in the collection of Hippolyte Destailleur (1822-1893) in Paris and dispersed at auction upon his death (Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 26-27 May 1893, lots 27-29).