Artwork

Landscape with House

Landscape with House, by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, ink, 1795
Landscape with House, by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, ink, 1795

Landscape with House is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Landscape with House is an etching on laid paper, mounted to brown wove paper, created in 1801 by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin. The print presents a distant landscape view with a house, set against a backdrop of hills or mountains, rendered from an elevated vantage point that lowers the horizon line.

Subject & Meaning

The subject is a serene, natural landscape with a house in the distance, emphasizing the relationship between built environment and natural scenery. The elevated viewpoint and low horizon may suggest the artist's interest in capturing depth and the sublime in nature.

Technique & Style

Executed using the etching technique, the work showcases Saint-Mémin's skill in scratching designs onto a metal plate. This method allowed for nuanced line work, contributing to the piece's sense of depth and atmospheric perspective.

History & Provenance

Part of the Saint-Mémin Collection, the etching is now held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Context

Created in 1801, the work reflects late 18th-century European interests in landscape and the technical advancements in etching during this period.

Legacy

While specific influence is not widely documented, the piece contributes to the broader legacy of etching in landscape art, demonstrating techniques that would inspire later printmakers.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.