Benjamin Franklin
Jean-Baptiste Nini
18th century
Medium
Plaster
Dimensions
Diameter: 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Classification
Medals and Plaquettes-Reproductions
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of R.T. Haines Halsey, 1917
Accession Number
17.70.2
Tags
Benjamin FranklinProfiles
About the Artist
Jean-Baptiste Nini · 1717–1786
Jean-Baptiste Nini, born Giovanni Battista Nini in Urbino, Italy, in March 1717, emerged as a versatile sculptor and medallist whose career bridged the vibrant artistic scenes of Italy, Spain, and France. The son of a modest painter, Nini received his initial training from his father in the rudiments of engraving. He honed these skills in Bologna, where he simultaneously studied sculpture at the A...