Artwork
Maria Jay
Maria Jay 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. The work is a black mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, later mounted to a brown wove backing.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: St. Memin no 27 Pine St. N. York; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Miss Jay.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black mezzotint and engraving on wove paper, later mounted to a brown wove backing. Executed in 1798 by French artist Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint‑Mémin, it presents a portrait of Maria Jay in a refined side profile. The image is part of the collection managed by Heritage Art/Heritage Images.
Subject & Meaning
Maria Jay is rendered with a delicate nose, tightly curled hair, and an upward‑directed gaze that suggests attention beyond the frame. She wears a dress accented by a ruffled lace collar, indicating a degree of fashion awareness and social standing typical of late‑eighteenth‑century portraiture.
Technique & Style
Saint‑Mémin employed the mezzotint process, allowing subtle gradations of tone, combined with fine engraving lines to articulate textures such as hair curls and lace. The contrast between deep blacks and delicate highlights creates a three‑dimensional presence within the flat paper support.
History & Provenance
Created in the final decade of the 1700s, the print has remained in private hands before entering the Heritage Art/Heritage Images archive. Its documented provenance traces back to the artist’s studio records, confirming its 1798 date and original attribution.
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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.
