Artwork
Alexander Rider (?)
Alexander Rider (?) is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1808, this work presents a profile portrait of a man identified as Alexander Rider.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1808, this work presents a profile portrait of a man identified as Alexander Rider. Rendered in conté crayon, charcoal, and white chalk on a gouache‑grounded, off‑white laid paper, the image captures the sitter in a formal, side‑view pose characteristic of early‑19th‑century portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is shown in profile, his sharp nose and neatly turned collar delineated against the pale surface. The limited palette emphasizes line and subtle tonal shifts, focusing attention on the sitter’s facial features and attire rather than narrative context.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed a combination of drawing media: conté crayon for the primary outlines, charcoal for deeper shadows, and white chalk to highlight the cheek and coat. The paper, coated with a thin layer of gouache, provides a smooth ground that enhances the crispness of the lines, a hallmark of the artist’s precise, almost mechanical approach to portraiture.
History & Provenance
French portraitist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint‑Mémin produced this piece after emigrating to the United States during the Revolutionary period. While in America, he created numerous profile likenesses, often using a physiognotrace to capture the sitter’s silhouette before completing the drawing by hand. The work now belongs to the American Wing collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin (French pronunciation: ; 1770–1852) was a French portrait painter and museum director.
