Artwork
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton
Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This 1798 print, executed in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, presents Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton in a finely detailed portrait. The image measures roughly 70 mm square and is mounted on a brown wove backing. The composition is simple, with the sitter centered against an unadorned background.
Subject & Meaning
Seton is shown wearing a richly draped costume featuring ruffled trim and a high‑collared garment, reflecting contemporary fashion for genteel portraiture. The inscription at the lower edge reads "Mrs Wm Deaton," indicating the work was likely produced during the period when she was married to William Deaton, before her later religious vocation.
Technique & Style
The artist employed the mezzotint process to achieve deep tonal gradations, complemented by fine engraving lines for detail in the clothing and facial features. The combination of these techniques yields a subtle chiaroscuro effect that emphasizes the sitter’s three‑dimensional presence despite the modest scale.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French émigré known for his portrait prints of American figures, the work reflects his practice of documenting notable individuals in the early United States. The print’s provenance traces to collections of early American portraiture, though specific ownership records are limited.
Context
The portrait emerges at a time when mezzotint was a favored medium for reproducing likenesses before the rise of photography. Saint‑Mémin’s series of American portraits served both as documentation of the new nation’s elite and as a means of introducing European print techniques to an American audience.
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.
