Felix Constant de Boisgerard

Art Historical Context

Step into the early 19th-century world of American finance with this striking 1809 print portrait of Felix Constant degerard, a prominent bank director. Created by French-born artist Charles Balthazar Févret de Saint-Mémin (1770–1852), the work captures Boisgerard's dignified profile, emblematic of the rising merchant class in the young United States. Saint-Mémin, who fled the French Revolution and settled in Philadelphia, became renowned for his precise likenesses of America's elite, blending European elegance with New World ambition. Saint-Mémin's innovative technique set this print apart: he used a physiognotrace—a mechanical device that traced sitters' profiles onto paper—then engraved and hand-colored them for intimate, collectible portraits. This method ensured remarkable accuracy and affordability, making high-society portraiture accessible beyond oil paintings. As a print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon), it exemplifies the era's printmaking prowess, bridging art and commerce. In 1809, amid the Federal period's economic growth, Boisgerard's image reflects banking's pivotal role in nation-building. This portrait not only immortalizes a key financier but also showcases how prints democratized portraiture, preserving the faces of America's founders and leaders for posterity. A window into a formative time!