Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
S/NPG.74.39.6.46
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1800, French-born artist Charles Balthazar Févret de Saintémin crafted this elegant print portrait of J. B. Loir, capturing the subject's profile with remarkable precision. Saint-Mémin (1770–1852), who emigrated to the United States after the French Revolution, specialized in miniature profile likenesses that became a hallmark of early American portraiture. Working primarily in Philadelphia and New York, he documented the faces of politicians, merchants, and cultural figures during the young republic's formative years. The artwork's medium—a finely detailed print—highlights Saint-Mémin's i...