Artwork
James Currie
James Currie 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 image shows Currie in a solemn pose, his facial features and hair rendered with meticulous attention.
This print presents a profile portrait of James Currie, rendered in a combination of mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown wove backing. The image shows Currie in a solemn pose, his facial features and hair rendered with meticulous attention. The work is attributed to Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French artist known for his portrait prints of the early nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, James Currie, is depicted in strict profile, a compositional choice that emphasizes the contours of his face and the gravity of his expression. The portrait’s restrained demeanor suggests a focus on the individual's professional or scholarly stature, aligning with the period’s conventions for representing men of learning or public service.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed mezzotint to achieve deep, velvety tonal ranges, while the engraving component adds crisp line work for fine details such as hair texture and facial lines. This hybrid approach allows for a nuanced gradation of light and shadow, producing a lifelike sense of depth that was prized in portraiture before the advent of photography.
History & Provenance
The print is part of the collections of both the National Gallery of Art and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Its dual residence reflects the work’s significance as a documentary portrait of a notable figure, as well as its value as an example of Saint‑Mémin’s printmaking practice during the early 1800s.
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.
