Artwork
John Wart
John Wart 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. Created in 1798, this small mezzotint and engraving measures just under six centimeters square.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: St. Memin No. 27 Pine St. N. York; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: John Wart.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1798, this small mezzotint and engraving measures just under six centimeters square. Executed on wove paper mounted to a brown backing, the print presents a solitary male figure in strict profile. The work belongs to the Saint‑Mémin Collection of Portraits and is noted for its relevance to the period’s portraiture practices.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a gentleman’s face turned sideways, emphasizing the contours of his nose, cheek, and jaw. The stark profile format, common in eighteenth‑century portraiture, conveys a sense of dignity and formality, allowing viewers to focus on the sitter’s physiognomy without narrative distraction.
Technique & Style
The artist employed mezzotint, a process that begins by roughening a copper plate to hold ink uniformly, then smoothing areas to create tonal gradations. Fine dots were incised for detail, producing a luminous skin tone that subtly emerges from a deep, velvety background. This method was prized for rendering soft transitions in portraiture during the late 1700s.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the print forms part of his extensive series of portrait mezzotints. It has remained within the Saint‑Mémin Collection, a repository that preserves his work and reflects the artist’s role in documenting contemporary figures of the era.
Context
Mezzotint enjoyed popularity in the final decades of the eighteenth century as a means of producing affordable, yet richly tonal, portrait reproductions. Saint‑Mémin’s output exemplifies this trend, offering a portable, detailed likeness that could be disseminated among patrons and collectors interested in the visual record of their society.
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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.
