Artwork
James Iredell
James Iredell is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created between 1798 and 1799, this small black-and-white print measures just 5.
About this work
Overview
Created between 1798 and 1799, this small black-and-white print measures just 5.56 by 5.56 centimeters. It depicts James Iredell, who served as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court, set against an unadorned background. The work is executed in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a larger brown wove sheet, and it belongs to the Corcoran Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents Justice Iredell in a dignified yet intimate manner, emphasizing his facial features and judicial bearing without ornamental distraction. By focusing on the individual’s likeness, the image reflects the late‑eighteenth‑century interest in documenting prominent public figures for posterity, offering a visual record of a key contributor to early American jurisprudence.
Technique & Style
Areas intended to remain dark retain the rough texture, while the surface is selectively smoothed to hold less ink, producing subtle gradations of tone.
The artist, Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, employed the mezzotint process, a printmaking method that begins with a uniformly roughened copper plate. Areas intended to remain dark retain the rough texture, while the surface is selectively smoothed to hold less ink, producing subtle gradations of tone. Combined with fine engraving lines, the technique yields delicate shadows and crisp details despite the work’s diminutive size.
History & Provenance
Executed at the close of the 1790s, the print reflects the popularity of mezzotint for portraiture during that period. After its creation, the image entered the Corcoran Collection, where it has been preserved as part of the institution’s holdings of early American prints. Its survival offers insight into both the artistic practices and the commemorative culture of the early Republic.
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.
