Skip to Main Content

At Least Be Discreet

1789
(French, 1736–1807)
France, 18th century
etching and engraving
Sheet: 38.5 x 27.9 cm (15 3/16 x 11 in.); Platemark: 36.6 x 26.6 cm (14 7/16 x 10 1/2 in.)
James Parmelee Fund 2008.111.1
Catalogue raisonné: Bocher nos. 406-407; Portalis and Beraldi, vol. II, part II, p. 442, no. 9
State: II/V
Location: not on view
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Description

Together these pendant prints depict a couple saying farewell after a romantic rendezvous. Still partially undressed, the woman cautions her lover to keep their tryst a secret. Both the man and the cherub beneath him proudly display a plucked rose as a symbol of sexual triumph. Meanwhile, below the woman, a blindfolded cupid steps toward a precipice, a sign that this lady is about to fall dangerously in love with a rogue. Amusingly, the prints actually depict the artist and his wife, whimsically portraying the mores and fashion of aristocratic society.
At Least Be Discreet

At Least Be Discreet

1789

Augustin de Saint-Aubin

(French, 1736–1807)
France, 18th century

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.