Born in Paris in 1736, Saint Aubin trained under his brother and then with Etienne Fessard and Nicolas-Henri Tardieu, both engravers. Although he was accepted by the Académie Royale, he never became a full member. In 1776, he was appointed as "Dessinateur et Graveur" (artist and engraver) to the Bibliothèque Royale, then became the engraver for the Duc d'Orléans.He survived the Revolution, and died in Paris in 1807.