Mrs. Cunnyngham

1798

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

Associated Names
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

This image shows a detailed profile portrait of a woman, depicting her upper body up to the shoulders. She is facing to the right side of the image, with a prominent nose, slightly closed mouth, and eyes looking forward. Her curly hair is styled with an elaborate upward and backward sweep, held by a headband. She wears a light-colored garment with a high collar and ruffled lace trim. The woman wears hoop earrings and the background is a shaded circle. Engraved text in the circular border and section below identifies her as Mrs. Cummyngham, John.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    mezzotint and engraving in black on wove paper mounted to brown wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Corcoran Collection (Gift of William Wilson Corcoran)

  • Dimensions

    image (irregular): 5.56 × 5.56 cm (2 3/16 × 2 3/16 in.)
    sheet (trimmed to plate): 6.83 × 6.19 cm (2 11/16 × 2 7/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.1584.9.2

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 207

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
The image is a portrait showing the upper body of a person in profile view, facing to the right. The person is upright with a slight tilt of the head. The facial features include a nose and a jawline. The hair is styled in tight curls, gathered at the back into a braid secured with a ribbon. The person is dressed in a formal coat with a high collar and a cravat around the neck. The coat has a double-breasted design with visible buttons. The background is a simple, unembellished circular design. There are no visible jewelry or additional objects held by the person. The lower part of the portrait includes the text "Drawn & engr'd. by St. Memin Philadel'a" and the name "Leech" is written below the image.

Leech

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

The image displays twelve head and shoulder profile portraits in circular frames within a rectangular border. Each portrait features an individual facing left or right in classic profile pose, wearing formal attire typical of the late 18th to early 19th century. The subjects have distinct facial features with intricate hairstyles, and the men often have white, powdered hair while the women showcase elaborate hairdos. The backgrounds are simple, enhancing the subjects' profiles, with each portrait labeled with the person's name in handwritten script. The presentation style suggests they were created in a similar artistic style and timeframe.

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 9

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

The image shows a side profile portrait of a man, focused on his upper body. He is seated or standing in a formal position, with his head turned slightly to the right. The man has distinguished facial features, a prominent nose, a strong jawline, and short curly hair tied at the back with a ribbon. He is wearing a dark coat with multiple buttons and a high white collar. The background is plain within a circular frame, and there is a separate strip of paper at the bottom with the handwritten name "James Latimer."

James Latimer

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

the artist, Dijon, France; Léon Victor Raoul Leclerc, Vicomte de Juigné (the artist's nephew), Dijon, France, 1852; (Henry Stevens, London, England, c. 1859); William W. Corcoran, Washington, DC, c. 1874; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1875; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Bibliography

1862

  • Dexter, Elias. The St. Memin Collection of Portraits; Consisting of Seven Hundred and Sixty Medallion Portraits, Principally of Distinguished Americans. Elias Dexter: New York, 1862, no. 31.

1940

  • Catalogue of Engraved Portraits by Favret de Saint Memin, 1770-1852. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1940, p. 11.

1994

  • Miles, Ellen G. Saint-Mémin and the Neoclassical Profile Portrait in America. Washington, DC: National Portrait Gallery, 1994, p. 279, no. 207.

Inscriptions

lower center in plate: St. Memin No. 32 South 3d. St. Philadelphia; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Mrs. Cunnygham. / John

Wikidata ID

Q77015854

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