Vignette with a Medal depicting Harpocrate and Lotus Flowers, Volume I, Page 12, from Description des Principales Pierres gravées du Cabinet de S.A.S. Monseigneur le Duc d'Orléans Premier Prince du sang. A Paris chez M. l'abbé de la Chau au Palais-Royal M. l'abbé Le Blond au collége Mazarin Et chez Pissot, libraire, quai des Augustins 1778 - 1780

This print was made in Paris by Augustin de Saint-Aubin. The piece is an etching, a printmaking technique where lines are incised into a metal plate, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. The vignette shows a medal featuring Harpocrate, the Hellenistic god of silence, surrounded by lotus flowers. Look closely, and you’ll see how the etched lines create a delicate interplay of light and shadow, giving depth to the clouds and texture to the foliage. The fineness of the detail speaks to Saint-Aubin’s skill, but also the labour-intensive nature of etching. Each line had to be carefully drawn through a protective coating on the metal plate before being bitten by acid. Prints like these played a vital role in disseminating knowledge and taste in the 18th century. They were part of a larger system of production and consumption, where skilled artisans like Saint-Aubin contributed to a growing market for art and information. This piece reminds us that even seemingly simple images are the result of complex processes, situated within broader social and economic contexts.