Artwork
Hubbard Taylor
Hubbard Taylor is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Charles B.
About this work
Overview
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin’s small portrait, titled Hubbard Taylor, dates to roughly 1808. Executed as a mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, the work measures just under six centimeters on each side, making it comparable in size to a large coin. It belongs to the Corcoran Collection and is catalogued as a print.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a man with a calm expression, dressed in attire characteristic of the early nineteenth century. Though no narrative context is supplied, the gentle demeanor and careful rendering suggest an intention to convey the sitter’s respectable status and personal character.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process, a method that involves roughening a copper plate to hold ink and then smoothing areas to produce a range of tonal values. Combined with fine engraving, this approach allows subtle gradations of gray, rendering detailed facial features and fabric textures despite the work’s diminutive scale.
History & Provenance
Created around 1808, the portrait entered the Corcoran Collection at an unspecified date, where it has remained part of the institution’s holdings of early American prints. Its attribution to Saint‑Mémin, a French‑born artist active in the United States, links the piece to transatlantic artistic exchanges of the period.
Context
During the early nineteenth century, mezzotint and engraving were popular for portraiture, offering a reproducible yet highly detailed medium for documenting individuals. Saint‑Mémin’s practice reflects this trend, providing a portable, affordable means of preserving likenesses before the widespread use of photography.
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.
