Benjamin Franklin

Art Historical Context

This charming faience plaque, titled *Benjamin Franklin*, captures the iconic profile of the American Founding Father in a delicate tin-glazed earthenware medallion. Created in 1877 by French ceramist Emile Dupont-Zip, after a design by engraver Charles Nicolas Cochin, it measures just 9¼ x 9⅜ inches, perfect for a collector's cabinet or mantel. Faience, a prized French ceramic tradition dating back centuries, allowed for vibrant glazes and intricate details on earthenware, making portraits like this both affordable and elegant for 19th-century homes. The artwork draws from Cochin's famous 1777 engraving of Franklin, made during his time as a diplomat in France, where he was a celebrity for his role in the American Revolution and alliance with France. Franklin's balding head, spectacles, and fur cap became symbols of Enlightenment ingenuity and republican virtue, endlessly reproduced in prints, medals, and ceramics. Produced a century later amid celebrations of America's centennial, this piece reflects enduring French admiration for Franklin as a bridge between Old and New Worlds. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing since its 1883 gift, the plaque highlights how European artisans kept Franklin's legacy alive through accessible decorative arts, blending portraiture with ceramic innovation for everyday cultural reverence.