De tuin van de Tuilerieën 1760 - 1780

Gabriel de Saint-Aubin made this drawing of the Tuileries Garden using graphite on paper sometime in the 18th century. Graphite, essentially refined pencil lead, allowed Saint-Aubin to capture the scene's fleeting moments with quick, light strokes, a technique well-suited to the subject. The choice of graphite is significant, moving away from traditional, more formal drawing materials to something more immediate and accessible. Notice the subtle variations in tone and texture that Saint-Aubin achieved with simple shading and hatching. This reflects a shift in artistic practice towards direct observation and capturing the everyday. The drawing gives us a glimpse into the social life of the Tuileries, hinting at the era's preoccupation with leisure and display, but also with the growing accessibility of art and culture. This piece blurs the lines between a quick sketch and a finished work, inviting us to reconsider what constitutes art and the value we place on different modes of production.