Artwork
Joseph Clay
Joseph Clay is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1799, this small print measures just over five and a half centimeters on each side.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1799, this small print measures just over five and a half centimeters on each side. Executed in black on wove paper, it combines mezzotint and engraving techniques. The work is catalogued within the Corcoran Collection and bears the signature of French-American artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays Joseph Clay seated upright, dressed in a dark coat whose white collar stands out sharply against the surrounding shadows. The figure’s pose and attire suggest a formal portrait, emphasizing the sitter’s presence through contrast rather than elaborate background details.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed mezzotint, a method that builds tonal gradations by roughening the plate and then smoothing areas to create light. This produces a velvety range of shadows without relying on line work. Engraving adds finer definition, allowing the delicate rendering of fabric folds and facial features within a single monochrome palette.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Corcoran Collection, a notable repository of American art, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings. Its attribution to Saint‑Mémin reflects the artist’s activity in the United States during the late eighteenth century, a period when he produced numerous portrait prints of prominent figures.
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.
