Artwork
Charles de Lagarenne
Charles de Lagarenne is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1800, this black‑and‑white print presents a formal portrait of Charles de Lagarenne. Executed as a mezzotint combined with engraving on wove paper, the image is mounted on a brown backing sheet. The work belongs to the National Gallery of Art’s collection of early‑nineteenth‑century portrait prints.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, Charles de Lagarenge, appears in a solemn pose, his expression serious and his attire reflecting the fashion of the late eighteenth century. The portrait serves as a visual record of an individual of historical note, offering clues about his status and the conventions of elite representation at the turn of the century.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process to achieve deep tonal gradations, while the engraved lines add definition to facial features and clothing details. The combination of these printmaking methods allows for a rich, velvety darkness contrasted with delicate highlights, characteristic of the artist’s approach to portraiture.
History & Provenance
The print was produced by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French émigré who settled in the United States after the Revolution. It entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the twentieth century, joining a broader group of his portrait prints that document transatlantic figures of the era.
Context
During the early 1800s, mezzotint and engraving were popular means of disseminating images of notable persons, especially among the expatriate community. Saint‑Mémin’s series of portraits, including this one, catered to a market eager for visual representations of aristocratic and professional elites displaced by political upheaval.
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.
