Saint-Mémin Collection of Portraits, Group 24

Charles B. J. Févret de Saint-Mémin

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a collection of fifteen oval portrait engravings arranged in a grid on a brown background. Each portrait reveals the upper body of individuals in profile, facing either left or right. Men are depicted with a variety of hairstyles and clothing, including powdered wigs and natural hair styled in the fashion of the 18th or early 19th century, with some wearing high-collared coats and neckties. Women have hairstyles that suggest dressed hair with curls and bonnets, and wear detailed clothing such as dresses with high necklines. Simple shading in the background highlights the profile of each individual, with names and titles inscribed below each image for identification. The overall appearance of the collection suggests formality and historical documentation.