Artwork
Pierre François DuBourg
Pierre François DuBourg is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1800, this small mezzotint and engraving measures just over five and a half centimeters square.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower center in plate: Drawn & engrd. by St. Memin Philada.; lower center mount in black ink by unknown hand: Wm. Louis Valentine Dubourg.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1800, this small mezzotint and engraving measures just over five and a half centimeters square. Executed in black on wove paper that is later mounted to a brown wove backing, the work presents a profile view of Pierre François DuBourg, a prominent figure of his era.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures DuBourg’s facial features with emphasis on a pronounced nose and a firmly set jaw, reflecting the conventions of dignified representation. His hair is rendered in the typical 18th‑century fashion, underscoring his status and the period’s aesthetic expectations for portraiture.
Technique & Style
The image combines mezzotint’s tonal richness with fine engraving lines to delineate facial contours and subtle textures. The artist’s meticulous handling of line work highlights the subject’s physiognomy, while the monochrome palette reinforces the formal, documentary quality of the piece.
History & Provenance
Attributed to Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, the print was produced at the turn of the 19th century, a time when engraved portraits served both as personal commemoration and as widely circulated images of notable individuals.
Own this work as a print
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.
