French engraving — Saint-Aubin, Augustin

Augustin de Saint-Aubin sometimes styled Auguste de Saint-Aubin (1736 – 1807), belongs to an important dynasty of French designers and engravers. Augustin de Saint-Aubin was born on 3 January 1736 in Paris to the king's embroiderer Gabriel Germain de Saint-Aubin. He came from a family of artists and designers, which included his six siblings.
Trained by his brother, he later studied with Etienne Fessard, Nicolas-Henry Tardieu and Laurent Cars. He took many commissions for commercial purposes like bookplates, frontispieces, invitations, tradesmen's cards, and programs, but also illustrated books. In 1776 he was appointed as the official engraver at the Bibliotheque Royale (Royal Library). In his lifetime, Augustin was considered the most successful of the siblings.