Augustin de Saint-Aubin

Antoine Augustin Renouard,
his sale, Paris, Potier, 20 November-23 December 1854, in lot 632 (one of 51 portraits of gentlemen);
Gustave Mühlbacher,
his sale, Paris, Féral, 15-18 May 1899, lot 278 (as a portrait of Ancelot);
Marius Paulme;
purchased from Paulme by Georges Dormeuil (L.1146a), on the backing stamped: Catalogue Paulme/N^o 100,
thence by descent to the present owner

Paris, L'Exposition Universelle de 1900, Exposition retrospective de la Ville de Paris, no. 256 bis;
Paris, Galerie Charpentier, Exposition des Saint-Aubin, 1925, no. 160

Laid down to another sheet of paper which is hinged to the top of the circular mount. Overall in fairly good condition. A very faint light brown stain just above the sitter's nose, barely visible, othewise sheet relatively free from staining. Some remnants of a glue stain at the top of the circle, underneath the mount. Chalk and wash remain fresh and strong. Sold framed, as illustrated in the catalogue.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Antoine-Jean Amelot de Chaillou, born into an important Orléans family of magistrates, was a French politican who held several important positions throughout his life.  He was Secretary of State from 1776 to 1783 and was also commander of the Order of the Saint-Esprit.  He became an honorary member of the Académie Royale des Sciences and of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in 1777.  Previously, the sitter was mistakenly identified as Monsieur Ancelot (see Provenance), a French writer who was born in 1794 and died in 1854.  As Ancelot would have only been thirteen when Saint Aubin died in 1807, this identification is, however, clearly incorrect.

The present drawing was engraved in reverse by Saint-Aubin himself in 1778, with an inscription:  Aug. de St. Aubin ad vivum delin et sculpt. 1778.¹  A version of this portrait was formerly in the de Beistegui collection; that drawing, in reverse to the present work and showing the sitter within a medallion, must be based on the print.² 

1.  Emmanuel Bocher's Les Gravures du 18^e Siecle, no. 3
2.  Sale, Sotheby's, Château de Groussay, 2 June 1999, lot 66 (as Attributed to Augustin de Saint Aubin