Artwork
Debby Davenport
Debby Davenport is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1798 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Charles B.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: Drawn & engrd. by St. Memin Philada.; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Miss Davenport.
About this work
You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Saint-Mémin, Charles B.
This painting shows a woman's profile with a pronounced nose and curly hair. She looks relaxed, with a calm face. The artist paid close attention to details like her hair and clothing.
The woman's hair is styled in intricate curls, and her collar is draped neatly. This suggests the artist was skilled at portraying elegance. The portrait also gives us a glimpse of what people wore in the late 18th century.
You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Saint-Mémin, Charles B. J. Févret de.
Overview
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin’s print titled “Debby Davenport” presents a solitary profile of a woman rendered in black mezzotint and engraving. The image is executed on wove paper, later mounted on a brown‑toned sheet, and measures a modest size typical of early‑19th‑century portrait prints.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is depicted in strict profile, her nose prominently defined and her expression calm and unhurried. The composition emphasizes personal poise rather than narrative, offering a quiet study of individual presence that reflects contemporary ideals of feminine decorum.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed mezzotint’s rich tonal gradations alongside fine engraving lines to model the subject’s intricate curls and the neatly draped collar. The contrast between deep shadows and delicate highlights demonstrates the artist’s command of print‑making methods to convey texture and depth on a flat surface.
Context
Created at the turn of the 19th century, the portrait captures fashion cues, curled hair and a high‑collared garment, common in the late‑18th‑century aristocratic milieu. Such prints served both as personal mementos and as affordable reproductions of genteel portraiture for a growing middle‑class market.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin (French pronunciation: ; 1770–1852) was a French portrait painter and museum director.
