Artwork
David A. Ogden
David A. Ogden is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work presents a portrait of David A.
About this work
Overview
The work presents a portrait of David A. Ogden rendered in a combined mezzotint and engraving technique. Executed in 1798, the image shows the sitter in profile, focusing on his head and upper torso. The print is produced on wove paper, later affixed to a brown wove backing, and forms part of a larger series of portraits assembled by the artist.
Technique & Style
The image merges the tonal richness of mezzotint with the linear precision of engraving, both applied in black ink. This hybrid approach allows subtle gradations of shade alongside crisp contour lines, a hallmark of late‑18th‑century portrait prints. The use of wove paper, rather than laid paper, contributes to a smooth surface that enhances the fine detail of the work.
Subject & Meaning
David A. Ogden is depicted in a classical profile, a compositional choice that emphasizes dignity and individual character. The focus on the upper torso and head isolates the sitter from background elements, directing attention to facial features and attire, typical of portrait conventions intended to convey status and personal identity.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French artist active in the United States, the print entered the Saint‑Mémin Collection of Portraits, a curated assemblage of his likenesses. The collection has been preserved as a coherent group, documenting Saint‑Mémin’s practice of producing multiple profile portraits during his American period.
Context
During the 1790s, profile portraiture was a prevalent format in both European and American visual culture, reflecting neoclassical ideals of restraint and clarity. Saint‑Mémin’s adoption of this mode aligns with contemporary tastes, while his use of mezzotint and engraving demonstrates the period’s experimental blending of printmaking methods to achieve both depth and definition.
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.
