Artwork
Alan Pollok
Alan Pollok is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This work is a black-and-white print created through mezzotint and engraving techniques, executed on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown wove support. It presents a profile view of Alan Pollok, rendered with careful attention to the subject’s curls, dark coat, white shirt and cravat, set against a uniformly shaded backdrop that isolates the figure.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures Pollok in a formal pose, emphasizing his attire and hairstyle as markers of personal identity and status. The plain background eliminates extraneous detail, directing focus to the sitter’s facial features and dress, a common approach in early nineteenth‑century portraiture to convey dignity and presence.
Technique & Style
Combining mezzotint’s tonal richness with the line precision of engraving, the print achieves subtle gradations of light and shadow while retaining fine detail in hair and clothing. The use of wove paper, both for the print and its mounting, provides a smooth surface that enhances the crispness of the engraved lines and the depth of the mezzotint tones.
History & Provenance
The portrait was produced by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French artist known for his portrait prints in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The work is currently listed as an available print through the dealer Meisterdrucke, indicating its continued circulation among collectors of historic print media.
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.
