George Washington

c. 1800

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

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

Artist, French, 1770 - 1852

This image is a portrait of a person's upper body, from the upper chest upwards, in profile facing to the right. The individual has distinct facial features with a prominent nose and a slightly clenched jaw. Their hair is styled in waves and tied back at the nape. The person is wearing a simple, dark garment. The portrait is presented in an oval shape on a textured, yellowed paper with an inscription below it reading "Washington." in an elegant script. The background of the image is a plain, dark oval contrasting with the lighter depiction of the person. The surrounding area outside the portrait has a brownish tone.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

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): 1.59 × 1.11 cm (5/8 × 7/16 in.)
    sheet: 1.91 × 1.43 cm (3/4 × 9/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.1584.50.7

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Miles 1994, no. 921

  • Series Title

    Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits

Associated Artworks

See all 15 artworks
The image is a portrait of a man shown from the chest up in profile, facing the right side of the frame. He has distinctive facial features with a prominent nose and high cheekbones, and curly, short hair neatly styled. He wears a dark-colored coat over a high-collared white shirt or cravat tied in a bow. There are no visible jewelry or objects in his hands. The background features a plain, dark oval vignette on a lighter-toned paper, drawing focus to the subject. The name "Theodore Gourdin" is scripted below the portrait.

Theodore Gourdin

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1808

Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 50

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1797

The image shows a profile portrait of a woman with detailed facial features, including a prominent nose, full lips, and defined jawline. She has styled her hair in tight curls and wears a large bonnet with a feather on top. She is dressed in a sleeveless, high-waisted garment with ruching detail at the bust, and wears a bead or pearl necklace. The background is plain, and there is a handwritten inscription at the bottom with the name "Mlle de St. Memin."

Étiennette-Charlotte-Adélaïde Févret de Saint-Mémin

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

1799

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. 13.

1940

  • Catalogue of Engraved Portraits by Favret de Saint Memin, 1770-1852. Washington, DC: Corcoran Gallery of Art, 1940, p. 18.

1942

  • Norfleet, Fillmore. Saint-Mémin in Virginia: Portraits and Biographies. Richmond, Virginia: The Dietz Press, 1942, pp. 218-219.

1994

  • Miles, Ellen G. Saint-Mémin and the Neoclassical Profile Portrait in America. Washington, DC: National Portrait Gallery, 1994, p. 424, no. 921.

Inscriptions

lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Washington.

Wikidata ID

Q77262534

You may be interested in

Loading Results