Who created "Benjamin Franklin"?

Benjamin Franklin was created by William P. Babcock|Louis de Carmontelle in ca. 1876.

When was "Benjamin Franklin" created?

This artwork was created ca. 1876.

What medium is "Benjamin Franklin"?

Benjamin Franklin is Oil on wood.

Is "Benjamin Franklin" in the public domain?

Yes, Benjamin Franklin is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

Benjamin Franklin

William P. Babcock|Louis de Carmontelle

ca. 1876

Medium

Oil on wood

Dimensions

12 1/8 x 8 in. (30.6 x 20.3 cm)

Classification

Painting

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of William H. Huntington, 1883

Accession Number

83.2.468

Tags

Benjamin FranklinProfilesMenPortraits

Art Historical Context

This intimate profile portrait of Benjamin Franklin, painted in oil on wood around 1876 by American artist William P. Bock after Louis de Carmontelle, the Founding Father's discerning gaze and signature spectacles. Measuring just 12⅛ × 8 inches, it exemplifies the compact, detailed cabinet portraits popular in the 19th, ideal for private display in homes or studies. The wooden panel medium lent itself to fine brushwork, allowing Babcock to evoke Carmontelle's original 18th-century French profile style—reminiscent of classical Roman coins—with sharp contours and subtle tonal modeling. Carmonte...

Benjamin Franklin

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