Artwork
Maria Franklin Clinton
Maria Franklin Clinton is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Charles B.
About this work
Overview
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin’s 1797 print presents Maria Franklin Clinton in a finely rendered profile. Executed in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, the image is mounted on a brown backing, giving the work a modest yet dignified presence.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown in three‑quarter profile, her hair arranged in soft curls and her attire styled in the refined fashion of the late eighteenth century. The composition’s restraint and the calm expression convey a sense of cultivated poise typical of neoclassical portraiture.
Technique & Style
Combining mezzotint’s tonal richness with the line work of engraving, Saint‑Mémin achieves delicate gradations of light and shadow. The plain background isolates the figure, allowing the intricate detailing of dress and hair to foreground the neoclassical emphasis on clarity and idealized form.
History & Provenance
Created in 1797, the print reflects the artist’s engagement with American subjects during his travels in the United States. It has remained in the collection of the original patron’s descendants, providing a rare visual record of Maria Franklin Clinton’s appearance and social standing at the turn of the century.
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.
