Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 19

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

National Gallery of Art

The image shows 12 engraved profiles displayed in a grid layout. Each profile depicts the upper body of a person, from head to shoulders, facing mostly to the side. The individuals wear late 18th to early 19th-century attire, with varying hairstyles and clothing styles. Men have a range of hairstyles, from short to tied back, without visible facial hair, wearing open jackets with high collars and cravats. Women have decorated hairstyles and some show their necks and upper garments, with one wearing a shoulderless dress. There is no jewelry or objects visible in the portraits. Each portrait is set in a circular vignette on a monochrome background, with handwritten names underneath. The grid layout has a historic aesthetic with sepia-toned coloration.