Artwork
Ducorneau
Ducorneau is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1801, “Ducorneau” is a small black-and-white print measuring 5.56 by 5.56 centimeters. Executed in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown wove backing, the work belongs to the Corcoran Collection. Its compact size and monochrome palette focus the viewer’s attention on the subtle tonal variations that define the image.
Subject & Meaning
Light falls on the forehead and cheek, while the surrounding areas recede into deep shadow, giving the portrait a slightly blurred, photographic quality.
The composition presents a solitary male head rendered in delicate gray tones. Light falls on the forehead and cheek, while the surrounding areas recede into deep shadow, giving the portrait a slightly blurred, photographic quality. The ambiguous expression and soft transitions suggest a study of character rather than a specific individual, inviting contemplation of identity through light and shade.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the labor‑intensive mezzotint process, beginning with a uniformly roughened metal plate. By smoothing selected areas, he created a range of tonal values from velvety blacks to luminous highlights. The engraving elements add fine line work, enhancing definition. This combination yields a nuanced surface where shadows melt into light, characteristic of early nineteenth‑century printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print was produced by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French artist active during the Napoleonic era, known for his portrait mezzotints. “Ducorneau” entered the Corcoran Collection, a notable American assemblage of prints, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of early 19th‑century graphic art.
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.
