Artwork
William Wirt
William Wirt is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created between 1807 and 1808, this small print portrays William Wirt in a strict side profile. Executed in black mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, the image measures just 5.72 by 5.72 centimeters, a size that demands meticulous handling of line and tone. The work belongs to the Corcoran Collection and exemplifies early nineteenth‑century portrait printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents William Wirt, a prominent American lawyer and statesman, rendered with the dignified restraint typical of the period. The profile view, a conventional mode for formal portraiture, emphasizes the sitter’s facial features and attire, suggesting a focus on his public persona rather than personal intimacy.
Technique & Style
Févret de Saint‑Mémin combined mezzotint’s rich tonal gradations with fine engraving lines to achieve a realistic surface despite the miniature dimensions.
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin combined mezzotint’s rich tonal gradations with fine engraving lines to achieve a realistic surface despite the miniature dimensions. The artist’s careful modulation of light and shadow creates depth, while the crisp incised details convey the texture of Wirt’s period costume, illustrating the printmaker’s skill in balancing broad tonal areas with precise line work.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Saint‑Mémin’s American tour, when he documented notable figures of the young republic. After its creation, the work entered the Corcoran Collection, where it has been preserved as part of the institution’s holdings of early American portraiture and print media.
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.
