Artwork
Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Général Dearborn. / Henry
About this work
This 1805 portrait shows Henry Dearborn with clean lines and soft shadows. His hair is tied in a small queue. A plain background keeps focus on his face.
Mezzotint was new then. It gives rich tones without much color. Engraving adds fine lines for details like his coat buttons.
Saint-Mémin made over 700 portraits this way. If you like sharp black-and-white faces, try his other work.
Overview
This 1805 portrait of Henry Dearborn is a print created using mezzotint and engraving techniques on wove paper, mounted to brown wove paper. It is part of the Corcoran Collection.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Henry Dearborn with classical facial features, a prominent nose, and a neatly styled hair tied into a small queue, set against a plain background that emphasizes his likeness.
Technique & Style
The artwork utilizes mezzotint, a relatively novel technique at the time, to achieve rich tonal depths in black, while engraving adds precise details such as the subject's coat buttons and clean-lined facial features.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin in 1805, this portrait is one of over 700 similar works by the artist, characteristic of his prolific output in this medium.
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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.
