Artwork
Margaret Polk
Margaret Polk is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in the early nineteenth century, this black-and-white print combines mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown‑toned backing. The work is attributed to Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin and is held within the Corcoran Collection. It presents a single female figure rendered with a restrained, almost photographic clarity.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait shows a woman with gently coiled hair, dressed in a dark garment accented by a crisp white collar. Set against an unadorned background, her calm expression and delicately shaded hands convey a quiet dignity, suggesting the sitter’s social standing without overt symbolism.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process to achieve deep, velvety blacks and subtle tonal gradations, while the engraving adds precise linear detail to the facial features and attire. The interplay of rich shadows and fine lines gives the skin a three‑dimensional quality, characteristic of the medium’s capacity for smooth tonal transitions.
History & Provenance
During a period of extended residence in the United States, Saint‑Mémin produced a series of portrait prints of early‑19th‑century leaders and private citizens, introducing mezzotint to an American audience where it was then uncommon. This rarity, combined with the artist’s meticulous approach, has contributed to the work’s presence in the Corcoran Collection as a representative example of his American period.
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.
