Artwork
Chaudron
Chaudron 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. Charles B.
About this work
Saint-Mémin used cross-hatching—tiny lines crisscrossing to build shadows and depth without any color.
This tiny engraving shows a man in profile with tight curls and sharp cheekbones. It’s only five and a half centimeters square, yet every line counts. Saint-Mémin used cross-hatching—tiny lines crisscrossing to build shadows and depth without any color.
Look at the top right corner: you’ll spot his signature and the year 1802. Most prints from this era were bigger and brighter, but this pocket-sized piece feels intimate.
Try the same technique next. See how cross-hatching changes a face.
Overview
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin’s print titled *Chaudron* is a small black mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, mounted to a brown backing. The work measures roughly 5.6 cm by 5.6 cm, making it a pocket‑sized object produced between 1798 and 1802. It is catalogued as a portrait print, signed by the artist in the upper right corner with the date 1802.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a solitary male figure in strict profile, his hair rendered in tight curls that frame a sharply defined cheekbone and nose. The composition focuses entirely on the sitter’s facial features, suggesting an emphasis on individual character or status rather than narrative context. No background or symbolic elements accompany the portrait, reinforcing its direct, personal nature.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed a combination of mezzotint and fine engraving, using dense cross‑hatching to model light and shadow across the face. The absence of colour relies on the subtle gradations achieved by intersecting lines, a hallmark of late‑18th‑century French printmaking. The precision of the line work demonstrates the artist’s control over tonal variation within a very limited surface area.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the nineteenth century, *Chaudron* reflects the French tradition of intimate portrait prints that circulated among collectors and acquaintances. The work bears the artist’s signature and the year 1802, confirming its authorship. While specific ownership records are not documented, the piece exemplifies Saint‑Mémin’s broader output of small‑scale prints during his post‑revolutionary period.
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.
