Russell

Art Historical Context

In the early 19th century, French-born artist Charles B. J Févret de Saintémin captured the likenesses of America's emerging elite through his innovative profile portraits. Created in 1809, *Russell* exemplifies his signature style: a precise, neoclassical silhouette likely depicting a prominent figure of the Federal era, rendered in a compact, intimate scale (just over 2 inches square). Saint-Mémin, who fled the French Revolution and settled in the United States, produced hundreds of such works, documenting notables from Philadelphia to New York during a time of national identity formation. The artwork's medium—mezzotint and engraving in black ink on wove paper, mounted for preservation—highlights Saint-Mémin's technical mastery. He began with a physiognotrace, a mechanical device that traced profiles with mathematical accuracy, then rocked the copper plate for mezzotint's rich, tonal gradations before fine-line engraving. This combination yielded velvety shadows and sharp contours, mimicking the elegance of miniature paintings but at a fraction of the cost, making portraits accessible to the burgeoning middle class. Today, *Russell* resides in the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection, a testament to its role in preserving early American visual history. These diminutive prints offer a window into the poised demeanor and social aspirations of the young republic.

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...