Artwork
Adam Lynn
Adam Lynn is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This print, titled Adam Lynn, is a portrait created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin using mezzotint and engraving techniques on wove paper. It is mounted on a brown wove paper support and measures 10.5 by 8.25 inches. The work belongs to the Corcoran Collection and exemplifies early 19th-century American portraiture through its precise graphic methods and restrained composition.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Adam Lynn, a figure of modest social standing, rendered in a formal, frontal pose. His attire suggests respectability rather than aristocracy, reflecting the values of the emerging American middle class. The absence of symbolic elements or elaborate background directs focus to the individual’s demeanor, emphasizing personal identity over status or narrative.
Technique & Style
Saint-Mémin employed mezzotint to achieve rich tonal gradations in the face and clothing, while fine engraving lines defined details such as fabric folds and hair. The combination allowed for both soft modeling and sharp delineation. The texture is meticulously built through controlled dot and line work, characteristic of the artist’s precision-driven approach to portraiture in print.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in the early 1800s during Saint-Mémin’s time in the United States, where he made numerous portraits of prominent and lesser-known individuals. It entered the Corcoran Collection in the 19th century and remained part of its holdings until the collection’s redistribution in the 21st century, preserving its institutional lineage.
Context
During the early 1800s, mezzotint was a favored medium for portraiture in America due to its ability to reproduce subtle light and shadow. Saint-Mémin, a French émigré, adapted European techniques to meet American demand for affordable, detailed likenesses. This work reflects a broader trend of using print to document civic and professional figures beyond the elite.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited today, Adam Lynn represents a significant body of work by Saint-Mémin that helped establish portraiture as a viable graphic art form in the young United States. His method influenced later printmakers and contributed to the documentation of early American society through accessible, reproducible images.
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.
