Roddey

Art Historical Context

In the early 19th century,-born artist Charles B. J Févret de Saintémin revolutionized portraiture in America with his innovative profile prints. *Roddey*, created around 1810, exemplifies his signature style: a precise, small-scale engraving capturing the sitter's silhouette in striking black mezzotint. Measuring just5.72 × 5.72 cm, this intimate image was part of Saint-Mémin's popular series, produced using a mechanical tracing device called the physiognotrace, which allowed for accurate profiles that could be etched and printed in multiples. The medium—mezzotint combined with engraving on wove paper—lent the work a velvety depth and fine lines, mimicking the richness of painted miniatures at a fraction of the cost. Mounted on brown wove paper, it reflects the era's practical adaptations for display or albums. Saint-Mémin's technique democratized portraiture, making likenesses accessible to the growing American middle class during a time of national expansion and self-definition post-Revolution. Today, *Roddey* resides in the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection, a testament to its enduring appeal. These prints offer a window into early American identity, preserving everyday figures like the enigmatic "Roddey" with neoclassical elegance and technical precision.

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...