Artwork
Unidentified Female Silhouette
Unidentified Female Silhouette 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.
About this work
Overview
Unidentified Female Silhouette is a 1797 print by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin, executed in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, mounted to brown wove paper. The work portrays a woman whose identity remains unknown.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of the print is an unidentified woman, rendered in silhouette. The anonymity of the sitter is a key aspect of the work's intrigue and historical interest.
Technique & Style
Saint-Mémin utilized mezzotint and engraving techniques to achieve detailed, high-contrast imagery using only black and white. This method allowed for subtle texture and depth in the silhouette's execution.
History & Provenance
The print is part of the Corcoran Collection, though specific details about its acquisition or earlier ownership history are not provided here.
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.
