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James Lawrence

Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, 12 Mar 1770 - 23 Jun 1852

1810

James Lawrence by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, 12 Mar 1770 - 23 Jun 1852

Medium

Print

Classification

Print

Department

Smithsonian Collection

Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Credit

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon

Accession Number

NPG.74.39.1.35

Tags

EpauletCongressional Gold MedalJames Lawrence: MaleWar of 1812Portrait

Art Historical Context

This elegant 1810 print by French-born artist Charles Balthazar Julienévret de Saint-Mmin captures the poised profile of James Lawrence, a rising star in the early U.S. Navy.ed in precise stipple engraving—a technique Saint-Mémin after emigrating to America— the portrait highlights Lawrence's military stature through details like his epaulet and the Congressional Gold Medal, symbols of valor that foreshadow his heroic legacy. Saint-Mémin's innovative of a physiognotrace machine allowed for remarkably accurate, mass-reproducible profiles, making elite likenesses accessible to a wider public. J...

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