J. Shaw
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1804
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1804
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This tiny print shows a man’s head and shoulders in profile. Light hits his face from the left, making sharp shadows on his cheek and nose. The artist used fine lines and dots to create smooth skin and soft fabric folds. Mezzotint was popular for portraits in the early 1800s. The technique lets artists build up dark tones gradually, so details stay clear even in shadows. This print captures one person at a moment in time. Check out the same artist’s later work, like Saint-Mémin, Charles B. J. Févret de.
