Portrait of Benjamin Franklin

Art Historical Context

This lithograph, *Portrait of Benjamin Franklin*, the iconic likeness of one of America's Founding Fathers, produced between 1818 and 1848. Created as a print in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings Prints department, it measures 16 9/16 × 11 7/8 inches and was generously gifted by William Henry Huntington 1883. The draws from earlier portraits, notably associating with Joseph Siffred Duis, a French painter known for his elegant depictions of Enlightenment figures, while lithographers like Auguste Toussaint Lecler, Rosselin, and Auguste Bry contributed to its reproduction. Lithography, a revolutionary 19th-century technique using greasy crayons on limestone to transfer images, allowed for detailed, tonal reproductions affordable for a wide audience. This method preserved Franklin's dignified profile—often shown with his signature fur cap and spectacles—long after his death in 1790, making his image accessible in homes, schools, and public spaces. As a cultural artifact, the print underscores Franklin's enduring legacy as inventor, diplomat, and statesman. It reflects the era's fascination with Revolutionary heroes, bridging neoclassical portraiture with emerging mass media, and highlights how prints democratized art and history for everyday admirers.

About the Artist

Benjamin Franklin|Joseph Siffred Duplessis|Auguste Toussaint Lecler|Rosselin|Auguste Bry (American|French) · 1706 |1725 –1790 |1802

American, 1706–1790|French, Carpentras 1725–1802 Versailles