Artwork
Lucy Harrison Singleton Taylor
Lucy Harrison Singleton Taylor 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. Created in 1808, this black‑and‑white print by Charles B.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1808, this black‑and‑white print by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin depicts Lucy Harrison Singleton Taylor. Executed as a mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown backing, the work presents a single, centrally placed figure against a muted circular background.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown with a narrowly pointed nose, closed lips, and a composed expression. Her hair is styled in an updo typical of early nineteenth‑century fashion, and she wears a dress with gathered fabric that conveys refinement. The calm demeanor and elegant attire suggest a woman of social standing and cultivated upbringing.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin combined mezzotint’s rich tonal gradations with fine engraving lines to render the subtle modeling of the face and the texture of the clothing. The print’s monochrome palette emphasizes contrast between the illuminated figure and the evenly toned circular ground, a compositional device common in portrait prints of the period.
History & Provenance
The portrait was produced in the United States shortly after Saint‑Mémin settled there, reflecting his practice of creating likenesses of prominent individuals. It entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of early American prints.
Context
During the early 1800s, mezzotint and engraving were popular means of disseminating portraits of notable citizens. Saint‑Mémin, a French émigré trained in the European tradition, applied these techniques to American subjects, bridging transatlantic artistic conventions and documenting the emerging social elite of the young 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.
