Artwork
Dodge
Dodge is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1804, “Dodge” is a small square print measuring 5.72 by 5.72 centimetres. Executed by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the work combines mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that is subsequently mounted to a brown‑toned sheet. The composition presents a single male sitter, rendered in a restrained palette of black tones against a plain dark background.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a man dressed in a dark coat with a white cravat, his face illuminated from one side. The chiaroscuro lighting emphasizes the sitter’s features, suggesting a dignified yet intimate portrayal. While no explicit narrative accompanies the image, the title “Dodge” may refer to the individual’s name or a contemporary reference known to the artist’s circle.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process, roughening the copper plate to hold ink and then smoothing areas to create a gradation of tones.
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process, roughening the copper plate to hold ink and then smoothing areas to create a gradation of tones. This method yields soft, velvety shadows that merge without the linear marks typical of engraving, producing a near‑photographic depth for the early nineteenth century. The complementary engraving adds fine line work to define details such as the cravat and coat edges.
History & Provenance
The print originates from the artist’s productive period in the early 1800s, when he was active in the United States and Europe. Although specific ownership records are scarce, the work’s mounting on brown wove paper suggests a later conservation effort to protect the delicate original sheet. Its survival in museum collections indicates continued scholarly interest in Saint‑Mémin’s printmaking.
Context
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin was a French émigré who specialized in portraiture after relocating to America following the Revolution. His mezzotints catered to a clientele seeking refined likenesses before the advent of photography. “Dodge” exemplifies the transatlantic exchange of artistic techniques and the demand for portable, reproducible portrait images among the emerging professional class.
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.
