Margaret Lewis Livingston
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1797
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin
1797
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a woman in profile, her face clear and calm. She’s dressed in simple but neat clothes from the late 1700s. The artist used fine lines to make her features smooth and lifelike. This isn’t just any portrait. It’s made with a technique called mezzotint, where the artist roughs up a metal plate then smooths it to create soft shadows. That’s why her face glows against the dark background. Check out how Saint-Mémin, Charles B. J. Févret de made light feel real.
