Lot 156: Charles Saint-Memin engraving "William Edward" 1802

Medium: original physiognotrace engraving, 1802. This is one of the delightful engravings executed by French artist Charles Balthazar Julien Fevret de Saint-Memin, who was famous for his portraits of important Americans of the of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries. Saint Memin pioneered a technique called Physiognotrace (or Physionotrace) Engraving which produced remarkably lifelike portraits before the advent of photography. The plate measures 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 inches. Printed on cream wove paper, the full sheet size is 9 3/4 x 7 inches. The inscription reads "Drawn & engraved by St. Memin Philadelphia". The date of printing of this impression is not known. A previous owner's annotation at the bottom of the sheet identifies the subject of this portrait. Condition: there is an old water stain in the margin, not affecting the image.

engraving

Condition: there is an old water stain in the margin, not affecting the image.