James Stuart
Medium
mezzotint and engraving in black on wove paper mounted to brown wove paper
Dimensions
image (irregular): 5.56 × 5.56 cm (2 3/16 × 2 3/16 in.) sheet (trimmed to plate): 6.67 × 6.19 cm (2 5/8 × 2 7/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Corcoran Collection (Gift of William Wilson Corcoran)
Accession Number
2015.19.1584.24.2
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This intimate portrait of James Stuart, created in 1802 by French-born artist Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin, captures the refined elegance of early nineteenth-century American society. Rendered in a compact format measuring just over two inches square, the work exemplifies the artist’s skill in producing delicate profile likenesses that were highly sought after by prominent figures of the time. The medium of mezzotint combined with engraving allows for rich, velvety tones and precise linear details, techniques that were particularly effective for small-scale prints. By working on wove paper and mounting the sheet to a secondary support, Saint-Mémin achieved both durability and a subtle, luminous surface that enhances the portrait’s depth and texture. Now part of the National Gallery of Art’s Corcoran Collection, this print highlights the important role of reproductive techniques in disseminating images of notable individuals during the Federal period. Its modest size and meticulous craftsmanship invite close viewing, revealing the personal and cultural connections that such portraits fostered in early American collections.
About the Artist
Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin · 1770–1852
**Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin** Born on March 12, 1770, in Dijon, France, to marquis Bénigne-Charles Févret de Saint-Mémin, a former conseiller au Parlement de Bourgogne, and Victoire-Marie de Motmans, a creole from Port-au-Prince, Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin received a military education at the École Militaire in Paris, graduating in 1785. He served as a cad...