Artwork
Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
This 1805 portrait shows Henry Dearborn with clean lines and soft shadows. His hair is tied in a small queue. A plain background keeps focus on his face.
Mezzotint was new then. It gives rich tones without much color. Engraving adds fine lines for details like his coat buttons.
Saint-Mémin made over 700 portraits this way. If you like sharp black-and-white faces, try his other work.
Overview
This 1805 portrait of Henry Dearborn is a print created using mezzotint and engraving techniques on wove paper, mounted to brown wove paper. It is part of the Corcoran Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Henry Dearborn with classical facial features, a prominent nose, and a neatly styled hair tied into a small queue, set against a plain background that emphasizes his likeness.
Technique & Style
The artwork utilizes mezzotint, a relatively novel technique at the time, to achieve rich tonal depths in black, while engraving adds precise details such as the subject's coat buttons and clean-lined facial features.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin in 1805, this portrait is one of over 700 similar works by the artist, characteristic of his prolific output in this medium.
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.
