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
2015.19.1584.47.3
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
**Knox** (1809) by Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin is a delicate profile portrait print capturing the likeness of Henry Knox, the esteemed American Revolutionary War general and nation's first Secretary of War. in the early years of the 19th, this work reflects Saint-Mé's specialty as a French émigré artist in America, renowned for his precise, silhouette-like profiles of prominent figures. These small-scale engravings were highly popular, serving as affordable mementos of the new republic's heroes amid a burgeoning national identity. Rendered in mezzotint and engraving on wove paper—then mounted for preservation—the 2¼-inch square image showcases Saint-Mémin's mastery of tonal subtlety. Mezzotint, with its velvety blacks achieved by rocking a tool across the plate, allowed for rich shadows and depth in Knox's stern profile, while fine engraving added crisp outlines. This hybrid technique elevated prints from mere reproductions to collectible art, bridging painting and graphic media. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection, **Knox** exemplifies early American portraiture's role in commemorating Founding-era leaders. Its intimate size invites close viewing, evoking the era's fascination with physiognomy and personal legacy—perfect for visitors pondering the faces behind history's pivotal moments.
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...