Artwork
Mrs. Brumaud
Mrs. Brumaud 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. Created in 1800, this small mezzotint and engraving measures roughly 5.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1800, this small mezzotint and engraving measures roughly 5.5 × 5.5 cm. Executed in black on wove paper that is mounted to a brown backing, the print presents a single female sitter rendered with meticulous detail.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is dressed in a dark gown trimmed with a stark white collar. Light falls from the left, illuminating her face and casting a gentle shadow across her cheek, suggesting a quiet, introspective presence.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process, roughening a metal plate to hold ink and then smoothing areas to achieve subtle tonal gradations. Fine line work complements the tonal modeling, giving the portrait a lifelike texture.
History & Provenance
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French artist who spent a significant period in the United States, produced this work as part of his series of portrait prints. The piece is known today primarily as a fine‑art print rather than a painted original.
Context
The portrait reflects early‑19th‑century European portrait conventions while also illustrating the transatlantic exchange of artistic techniques, as Saint‑Mémin brought the labor‑intensive mezzotint method to an American audience.
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.
