Unidentified Man

1797

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

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

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

The image shows an engraving of a man's profile. He is facing to the right, with his body turned slightly away from the viewer. The man has curly, medium-length hair, sideburns, a pointed nose, and a strong jawline. He is wearing a dark coat with a high collar and a cravat around his neck. There is a dark circular background behind the man's profile, set against a lighter rectangular space, with an illegible signature or inscription near the bottom of the circle.

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 × 6.35 cm (2 11/16 × 2 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.1584.3.8

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 850

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
This is an illustration of a man in a seated, right-facing pose. He has a prominent nose, a softly contoured jawline, wavy hair tied back with a ribbon, a dark coat, and a high-collared white shirt or cravat with ruffles. The background is a plain circle with the inscription "James Cummings" below.

Fortescue Cuming

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1796

The image contains twelve vintage portrait sketches arranged in a grid. Each sketch shows a side profile of an individual from the shoulders up within a circular frame. The individuals have varying hairstyles and attire, while some sketches include additional details like neckerchiefs or bows. The sketches are labeled with names like James Cummings and Mrs. Cummings. The background is plain and neutral, and the collection is set on a brown paper background.

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 3

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1796

The image shows an illustration of a woman's profile in a circular frame. She faces left, displaying a side view of her body. The drawing depicts her head, shoulders, and facial features, including a prominent nose and soft lips. She has full, voluminous curls, possibly pulled back into a ponytail. She wears a ruffled, lacy collar, long dangling earrings, and a necklace of round beads. The background is a simple dark circle, contrasting with the lightness of her clothing. The outer portion features handwritten text identifying the subject as "Mrs. Cummings."

Phoebe Harisson Cuming

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1797

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. 109.

1994

  • Miles, Ellen G. Saint-Mémin and the Neoclassical Profile Portrait in America. Washington, DC: National Portrait Gallery, 1994, p. 411, no. 850.

Inscriptions

lower center in plate: St Memin & Valdenuit. No. 27 Pine St. N. York.

Wikidata ID

Q77261111

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