Thomas Ennalls Waggaman
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
S/NPG.74.39.14.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Thomas Ennalls Wagg** (1808) is a refined profile portrait print by Charles Balthazar Julien Fret de Saint-Mé (1770–1852), a French artist who brought innovative techniques to early American portraiture. Created during the formative years of the young United States, this work captures the subject—a prominent male figure—in a classic silhouette style, emblematic of the era's fascination with physiognomy and personal identity. Saint-Mémin who emigrated from revolutionary France, pioneered the use of the *physionotrace*, a mechanical tracing device that produced precise profile outlines. These...