Artwork
Louis Landais
Louis Landais is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This print, executed in mezzotint and engraving, presents a side‑view portrait of Louis Landais. Rendered in black on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown‑toned backing, the image captures the sitter from the shoulders up in a formal profile, a compositional choice typical of late‑18th‑century portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
Louis Landais is depicted in a restrained, dignified manner, his features rendered in subtle gradations that suggest both presence and decorum. The profile format, long associated with classical portraiture, underscores the sitter’s social standing and conveys a sense of measured authority without overt expression.
Technique & Style
The work combines mezzotint’s rich tonal depth with the linear precision of engraving, allowing the artist to model light and shadow across the face and clothing. Executed on wove paper, the surface supports fine detail, while the brown mounting provides a muted frame that enhances the contrast of the black ink.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a noted French printmaker active in the United States, the portrait entered the Corcoran Collection, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of early American portrait prints.
Context
During the period when Saint‑Mémin worked in America, profile portraits were popular among the emerging professional class, serving both as personal commemoration and as visual affirmation of status. The print reflects the transatlantic exchange of artistic practices, merging French technical expertise with American patronage.
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.
