Artwork
Trade Card of Pierre Mourgeon
Trade Card of Pierre Mourgeon is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is a modestly sized etching, measuring just under 8 by 10 centimeters, created in 1796.
About this work
Overview
The work is a modestly sized etching, measuring just under 8 by 10 centimeters, created in 1796. Executed on wove paper and later mounted to a brown wove backing, it presents a compact view of an urban street with a market. The piece belongs to the Corcoran Collection, now held by the National Gallery of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a tranquil city lane where closely spaced buildings frame a modest marketplace. Small groups of figures linger near carts laden with wares, suggesting everyday commercial activity. The composition emphasizes the ordinary rhythm of public life rather than grand architectural spectacle, offering a snapshot of late‑eighteenth‑century urban commerce.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a traditional etching process, incising fine lines into a metal plate with a needle before applying acid to bite the design. This method yields sharply defined edges and delicate tonal variation, evident in the crisp outlines of the structures and the subtle shading of the street. The small scale intensifies the intimacy of the scene.
History & Provenance
Created by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint‑Mémin, a French‑American artist active in the late 1700s, the print was produced as a trade card, a commercial advertisement, likely intended to promote a business or service. It entered the Corcoran Collection, which was incorporated into the National Gallery of Art’s holdings, where it remains part of the museum’s print and drawing department.
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.
- Le Petit Parc
Le Petit Parc
Stairs in an Italian Garden
Stairway in an Italian Garden
Landscapes, part III: Roman Ruins in Wooded Surroundings
Pool in a Formal Garden
Landscape with a Bending Tree
Wooded Landscape with a Bridge
A Rocky Pond
Park with Terrace and a Balustrade with Statues
A Rocky Pond
Der kleine Isarsteg