Artwork

Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin

Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin, by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, ink, 1800
Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin, by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, ink, 1800

Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin 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

Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin is a portrait print created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin between 1799 and 1800, utilizing mezzotint and engraving techniques on black wove paper, subsequently mounted on brown wove paper.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a woman, Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin, shown in profile with her face partially obscured by shadow. Her attire is simple, accented by a hair ribbon, conveying a sense of understated elegance.

Technique & Style

The artist employed mezzotint to achieve deep, rich darks and luminous lights, characteristic of this challenging technique. Fine lines were used to render the subject's skin with remarkable softness and realism, evoking comparisons to the portrait style of Gilbert Stuart.

History & Provenance

The work is part of the Corcoran Collection, though specific details of its creation context or the subject's relationship to the artist (beyond sharing a surname) are not provided in available information.

Context

Created at the turn of the 19th century, this print reflects the artistic preferences of its time, blending traditional portrait techniques with the expressive depth of mezzotint, a method that was particularly popular for capturing nuanced likenesses.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of this particular work are not highlighted, it contributes to the broader appreciation of late 18th-century printmaking techniques and portrait artistry, alongside the recognized body of work by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin.

Artist & collection

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.