Artwork
Benjamin Smith
Benjamin Smith is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1809 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1809, this small print presents a likeness of Benjamin Smith. Executed by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the work combines mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, then mounted to a brown backing. Its dimensions are modest—just 5.72 × 5.56 cm—yet the image retains a clear, formal presence within the Corcoran Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Benjamin Smith, appears in formal attire with a composed expression, reflecting the conventions of early‑19th‑century portraiture. The restrained demeanor and attention to dress suggest a focus on status and propriety, typical of printed likenesses intended for personal or institutional remembrance.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed both mezzotint, a tonal method that yields rich gradations, and fine engraving lines to render detail within the limited surface. The interplay of these processes allows subtle shading of facial features while preserving crisp outlines, demonstrating the artist’s proficiency in manipulating the medium’s capacities despite the work’s diminutive scale.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Corcoran Collection, a major repository of American art, where it remains catalogued. Its attribution to Saint‑Mémin, a noted French‑born printmaker active in the United States, situates the piece within the broader exchange of European techniques and American portraiture during the early republic.
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.
