Bus
1776–1883
Medium
Wood
Dimensions
7 1/4 x 5 3/4 in. (18.4 x 14.6 cm)
Classification
Bust
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Huntington, 1883
Accession Number
83.2.199
Tags
Art Historical Context
This wooden bust portrait of Benjamin Franklin, created by Jean-Baptiste Nini around 1776, captures the American statesman during his diplomatic mission to France. Measuring just over seven inches tall, the compact work highlights Franklin’s distinctive features in a profile view typical of the period’s commemorative imagery. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing, it reflects the strong cultural ties between the newly independent United States and Enlightenment-era Europe. Nini, an Italian-born artist active in France, specialized in small-scale portraiture that circulated widely...
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...