John Bell
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1808
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This small print shows John Bell’s head and shoulders. He wears a dark coat and white cravat. The image is crisp but not flashy. Mezzotint prints like this were rare in early 1800s America. Saint-Mémin used a copper plate to carve tiny grooves that hold ink. The cross-hatched lines give the face texture. If this style grabs you, look up Saint-Mémin, Charles B. J. Févret de.
