James Stuart
Medium
mezzotint and engraving in black on wove paper mounted to brown wove paper
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.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of William Wilson Corcoran)
Accession Number
2015.19.1584.24.2
Art Historical Context
This intimate portrait of James Stuart, created in 1802 by French-born artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin, captures the refined elegance of early nineteenth-century American society. Rendered in a compact format measuring just over two inches square, the work exemplifies the artist’s skill in producing delicate profile likenesses that were highly sought after by prominent figures of the time. The medium of mezzotint combined with engraving allows for rich, velvety tones and precise linear details, techniques that were particularly effective for small-scale prints. By working on wove p...
About the Artist
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin
**Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin** Born on March 12, 1770, in Dijon, France, to marquis Bénigne-Charles Févret de Saint-Mémin, a former conseiller au Parlement de Bourgogne, and Victoire-Marie de Motmans, a creole from Port-au-Prince, Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin received a military education at the École Militaire in Paris, graduating in 1785. He served as a cad...