Artwork
Thorndyke
Thorndyke is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1803 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Charles B.
About this work
The print shows a man’s head in shadow, three-quarter view, white ruffled collar popping against dark coat.
The print shows a man’s head in shadow, three-quarter view, white ruffled collar popping against dark coat. His gaze drifts past the frame, giving him quiet authority. A single stroke of cross-hatching deepens the shadow under his jaw.
Saint-Mémin only made about 200 prints like this, all from life sittings in Washington around 1803. He traced each face onto a copper plate, then cut and smoothed the metal with hand tools.
Look at another of his faces next. Saint-Mémin, Charles B. J. Févret de
Overview
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin’s print titled “Thorndike” is a small black‑and‑white work measuring roughly 5.5 by 5.5 centimetres. Executed in 1803, it combines mezzotint and engraving techniques on wove paper that has been mounted onto a second sheet of brown wove paper. The piece belongs to the Corcoran Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a three‑quarter portrait of a man whose face is partially obscured by shadow. He wears a white, ruffled collar contrasting with a dark coat, and his gaze looks beyond the picture’s edge, conveying a restrained sense of authority. A brief cross‑hatching beneath the jaw enhances the depth of the shadow.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin produced the portrait by first tracing the sitter’s features onto a copper plate, then manually cutting and smoothing the metal. He applied mezzotint to achieve rich tonal gradations and added engraving lines for detail, employing cross‑hatching to deepen shadows. The result is a finely rendered, tonal portrait typical of his early American work.
History & Provenance
The print is one of roughly two hundred portraits Saint‑Mémin created during a brief period in Washington, D.C., around 1803, when he worked from live sittings. After its creation, the work entered the Corcoran Collection, where it remains documented as part of the museum’s holdings.
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.
