Charles Saint-Mémin's American Passport

Art Historical Context

This 1810 document, titled *Charles Saint-Mémin's American Passport*, offers a fascinating glimpse into early American bureaucracy and the life of a French émigré artist. Created through letterpress printing with handwritten additions in pen and ink, it exemplifies the hybrid nature of official paperwork at the time—standardized text combined with personalized notations to verify identity and travel rights. Measuring roughly 9 5/8 by 15 9/16 inches, the sheet reflects the practical yet precise craftsmanship required for such records. Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, a French nobleman and artist who fled the Revolution, had established himself in the United States by this period. Known for his profile portraits made with the physiognotrace device, he likely needed this passport for mobility amid shifting international relations following the Napoleonic Wars. Co-created with Robert Smith, the document highlights the intersection of art and administration in the young republic. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this piece underscores how even routine documents carry cultural weight, preserving traces of personal journeys and the era’s printing techniques for modern viewers.