Mrs. Deborah Franklin

Art Historical Context

**Mrs. Deborah Franklin** a striking 1898 print by Henry Wolf, a master engraver and etcher renowned for his meticulous reproductive portraits during the American etching revival. Captured as a bust-length, this graphic arts work from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection honors Deborah Read Franklin (c. 1701–1790), the steadfast wife of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. Wolf's rendition draws from historical likenesses, evoking her quiet strength amid the revolutionary era. Created over a century after her death, the print reflects late 19th-century fascination with America's col...