Artwork
David Holmes
David Holmes is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1799, this black-and-white print combines mezzotint and engraving techniques to render a portrait of David Holmes. Executed by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the work belongs to his extensive series of individual likenesses, known collectively as the Saint‑Mémin Collection of Portraits. The image is mounted on wove paper, giving it a smooth, uniform surface.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, identified as David Holmes, is presented frontally, his gaze directed toward the viewer. A sober, contemplative expression dominates his face, suggesting a sense of personal gravitas. The portrait’s focus on direct eye contact and restrained demeanor reflects the period’s interest in individual character and social standing.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed a hybrid process, first laying down tonal fields with mezzotint and then refining details through fine engraving lines. This combination allows for deep shadows alongside crisp linear texture, producing a lifelike sense of depth and materiality. The dense cross‑hatching especially accentuates facial features, lending the portrait a vivid realism.
History & Provenance
The print forms part of the artist’s broader portrait series, which documented numerous contemporaries of the late eighteenth century. It has remained within the Saint‑Mémin Collection, a curated assemblage that highlights the printer’s systematic approach to portraiture. The work’s survival on mounted wove paper indicates careful preservation since its original creation.
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.
