Samuel Smith

1798

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

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

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

The image depicts a man in profile facing to the right. The man has defined facial features, with a prominent nose and full cheeks. He has white hair styled in a voluminous manner, typical of the late 18th to early 19th century, with curls framing his head and tied back with a ribbon. He is wearing a formal military-style coat with a high collar and visible buttons, over a light-colored cravat. The background is simple, with the head and shoulders in a circular frame. A strip of paper at the bottom reads "General V Smith." The artwork is by St. Memin from Philadelphia, featuring a monochromatic tone emphasizing the individual's features and attire.

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

    2015.19.1584.10.3

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 774

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
This image is an artistic portrait of a man from the late 18th or early 19th century. The man is facing right in profile, with a neutral expression. He has a rounded face, prominent nose, and full lips. His hair is styled with short curls at the front and longer hair tied at the back. He is wearing a high-collared garment with a decorative cravat. The background is oval-shaped, suggesting it is an engraved portrait, with a plain border. At the bottom, there are inscriptions, including what appears to be the author's signature and the name "Juge John Briddell James."

James Iredell

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

The image contains fifteen oval-framed illustrations, each showing a person's upper torso and head in profile against a dark circular background. The men's hairstyles vary with powdered wigs and curls typical of the 18th century, while women wear styled hair or caps. Both genders wear formal attire like high-collared shirts, cravats, jackets, and high-neck blouses. Some women, like Miss Caldwell, have elaborate hairstyles. Handwritten text below each portrait identifies the individuals, such as "Surgeon John Riddell" and "General Jno: Williams." The illustrations are arranged in a grid-like pattern on a plain, light tan background.

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 10

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

This image shows a detailed profile view of a man's upper body. He is positioned facing to the right, displaying a classical side portrait pose. His facial features include a prominent nose and a fully visible chin, with tightly curled hair that appears to be neatly styled, reaching down to the nape of his neck. He is dressed in formal attire, wearing a dark coat with visible buttons and a high white cravat wrapped around his neck. The background consists of a plain circular backdrop. Below the circular portrait, there is a section with the artist's signature, "Drawn & engd. by St. Memin Philad.," and some handwritten text on the lower portion.

Anthony Morris Buckley

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. 145.

1940

  • Catalogue of Engraved Portraits by Favret de Saint Memin, 1770-1852. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1940, p. 17.

1994

  • Miles, Ellen G. Saint-Mémin and the Neoclassical Profile Portrait in America. Washington, DC: National Portrait Gallery, 1994, p. 396, no. 774.

Inscriptions

lower center in plate: Drawn & engrd. by St. Memin Philadela.; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Général Smith. / Saml.

Wikidata ID

Q77261292

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