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.74.39.13.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant 1808 print, *William Nelson*, captures the refined profile of its male subject through the masterful hand of Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin, a French émigré engraver who became a leading portraitist in early America. Working in Philadelphia and New York after fleeing the French Revolution, Saint-Mémin pioneered a distinctive technique using the physiognotrace—a mechanical device that traced silhouettes for precise engraving. These small, detailed prints were highly sought after by the emerging American elite, offering affordable yet sophisticated likenesses. As a ...