Unidentified Man

1798-1803

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

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

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

The image displays a man's upper body in profile, facing right. The man has an upright posture and is looking straight ahead. He has a pronounced nose, slightly pursed lips, and defined sideburns. His hair is short, wavy, and well-groomed, covering the top and sides of his head. He is wearing a high-collared coat with a cravat wrapped around his neck. The background is dark and circular, creating a vignette effect against a light rectangular border.

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): 6.67 × 6.19 cm (2 5/8 × 2 7/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.1584.55.4

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 869

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
The image depicts a profile portrait of a man showcasing the upper part of his body. he is positioned in profile, facing right. His facial features are detailed, with a notable nose and chin. His hair is styled in a traditional manner with thick, wavy locks styled back, and he has distinct sideburns. He is dressed in a dark coat with a high collar and a visible button, along with a white cravat tied in a bow around his neck. The background is circular, dark, and textured, contrasting with the lighter paper on which the portrait is drawn.

Unidentified Man

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1798

The image is a compilation of fifteen engraved portraits of individual men shown in profile facing to the left. The men vary in facial features, hairstyles, and clothing typical of the late 18th to early 19th centuries, featuring high collared shirts and dark coats. The portraits are arranged in a grid of three rows with five portraits each, mounted on a tan or beige backing paper. The names “Masson” and “Florim? Masson.” are inscribed below the bottom right portraits.

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 55

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1797

The image shows a man's head and upper torso in profile, facing right. He has short wavy hair, sideburns, a prominent nose, and a subtle expression. He wears a dark, high-collared coat with large buttons and a light-colored cravat. The background is a dark oval, contrasting with the lighter border. No jewelry or distinct objects are visible.

Unidentified Man

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

1994

  • Miles, Ellen G. Saint-Mémin and the Neoclassical Profile Portrait in America. Washington, DC: National Portrait Gallery, 1994, p. 413, no. 869.

Wikidata ID

Q77262660

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