Elizabeth Rittenhouse Sergeant

1798-1803

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

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

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

The image depicts a bust portrait of a woman captured in profile, facing to the right. Her body is shown from the shoulders up. She has delicate facial features with a straight nose and slightly parted lips, and her hair is styled in soft curls peeking from under a voluminous, ruffled cap. She is dressed in a garment with a high collar adorned with ruffles, covering her shoulders completely. There is no visible jewelry or objects in her hands. The background is a dark, circular field contrasting with the lighter tones of the woman's clothing and complexion. The entire portrait is enclosed in an oval border against a plain, lighter background.

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

    2015.19.1584.52.7

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 741

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
The image shows a profile view of a man's upper body, featuring his head and shoulders in a seated position. He has a well-defined nose and chin, with distinct sideburns that blend into his medium-length, slightly wavy hair, tied back in a small tail. The man is wearing a dark coat with wide lapels over a high-necked white collar and cravat. There are no visible jewelry or objects being held. The background is a plain circle, with text scripted beneath the portrait mentioning "James Cuyler."

James Cuyler

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1796

There are 12 small portraits arranged in three rows and four columns. Each portrait shows a person in profile from the shoulders up, set in a circular frame against a plain background. The individuals display various 18th-century hairstyles, with men in powdered wigs or styled back hair, and women in updos with caps or headpieces. The men wear high-collared coats and cravats, while the women wear high-necked dresses or blouses with ruffled accessories. Some women wear earrings. The plain background has a simplistic shadow beneath each portrait. The names beneath the portraits identify the individuals as James Cuyler, Chaudron, Mrs. Ludlow, Dr. P.G. Prioleau, Capt. David Carmick, Jonathan Burrall, Nathaniel Heyward Jr., Mrs. Mathurin Livingston, and Miss Louisa Dupounceau.

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 52

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1796

The image shows a black and white illustration of a man's side profile view, with curly, medium-length hair, a prominent nose, and a sharp jawline. He is wearing a dark jacket with a broad collar over a white cravat tied around his neck. The figure is enclosed within a circular outline, with the name "Chaudron" written below in script.

Chaudron

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. 388, no. 741.

Wikidata ID

Q77262577

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