Portrait of Guillaume-Thomas Raynal 1773

Augustin de Saint-Aubin’s 1773 etching, “Portrait of Guillaume-Thomas Raynal,” depicts the French historian and writer in profile. The sitter is shown in a formal pose within an oval frame, set into a stone arch. Saint-Aubin uses precise lines and detailed shading to capture Raynal’s features, from his powdered wig to his finely-wrought clothing. This print, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides a striking example of the artist’s skill in portraiture and engraving.