Artwork
Jacob Kinney
Jacob Kinney 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.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black-and-white print portraying a gentleman named Jacob Kinney. Rendered in mezzotint and engraving, the image shows the sitter in a dark coat with a high, stiff collar and a white cravat, set against an unadorned dark background. A cursive inscription of his name appears on a textured horizontal band at the bottom of the composition, dated 1808.
Subject & Meaning
The inclusion of his name in elegant script reinforces the portrait’s function as a commemorative likeness for viewers familiar with the individual.
Jacob Kinney is presented as a respectable figure of early‑19th‑century attire, his formal coat and cravat indicating social standing. The plain backdrop focuses attention on his face and clothing, emphasizing personal identity rather than narrative context. The inclusion of his name in elegant script reinforces the portrait’s function as a commemorative likeness for viewers familiar with the individual.
Technique & Style
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the image combines mezzotint’s rich tonal gradations with the line precision of engraving. This hybrid approach, popular in the early 1800s, allowed the artist to render subtle fabric textures and delicate facial shading while maintaining crisp outlines. The dark‑toned background and restrained palette highlight the contrast between light and shadow characteristic of the period’s print portraiture.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in 1808, a time when mezzotint and engraving were widely used for portrait dissemination before photography. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French émigré active in the United States, often recorded notable figures of the young republic. The work’s mounting on brown wove paper suggests it was intended for display or inclusion in a collection of contemporary likenesses.
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.
