Artwork
Nicholas DuBois
Nicholas DuBois is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1804, this small circular print measures just 5.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1804, this small circular print measures just 5.72 centimeters on each side. Executed in black mezzotint and engraving on wove paper that has been mounted to a brown backing, the image presents a finely rendered profile of Nicholas DuBois, showing only the right side of his face and upper torso.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays Nicholas DuBois, a figure whose identity is recorded solely by name. Rendered in profile, the composition follows a traditional portrait convention that emphasizes the sitter’s individuality through a clear, singular viewpoint, allowing the viewer to focus on facial features and attire without narrative distraction.
Technique & Style
The image combines mezzotint’s tonal richness with the linear precision of engraving. The artist incised fine lines into a metal plate, then produced a print that captures subtle gradations of shadow and crisp detail, a method that was especially valued for its capacity to convey texture on a diminutive scale.
History & Provenance
The print belongs to the collection of Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a noted French artist of the early nineteenth century. It has remained within the Saint‑Mémin holdings, preserving its original context as part of the artist’s broader body of portrait work.
Context
Produced during the post‑Revolutionary period, the portrait reflects the era’s interest in documenting individuals through portable, reproducible media. Small, circular formats were popular for personal keepsakes and for inclusion in albums that circulated among the educated classes.
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.
