Artwork
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin is a watercolor painting by the Rococo painting artist Joseph Siffred Duplessis. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Benjamin Franklin in a quiet moment, in a plain brown coat with his white hair tied back, his face calm and a little tired. This small 1794 watercolor sits on vellum, smoothed animal skin, its detail sharp but its colors soft as chalk.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork is a portrait depicting the American statesman Benjamin Franklin as its primary subject. As a work within the portrait genre, it represents a focused visual study of a specific individual, capturing his likeness and identity through the traditional format of formal portraiture.
History & Provenance
No specific details regarding the original commissioner or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its museum acquisition are documented in available records.
Created in 1794, this watercolor portrait on vellum depicts Benjamin Franklin and is attributed to Joseph Siffred Duplessis, or to an artist working after Duplessis. The piece measures approximately 8 by 6.2 cm. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing. No specific details regarding the original commissioner or the intermediate ownership chain prior to its museum acquisition are documented in available records.
Context
The 1794 watercolor portrait of Benjamin Franklin, attributed to Joseph Siffred Duplessis, exemplifies early American neoclassical portraiture. Executed on vellum and housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the work is a reference point for studies of transatlantic artistic exchange and the visual representation of Enlightenment figures.
Overview
This watercolor portrait depicts Benjamin Franklin in a moment of quiet contemplation. Executed on vellum, the small-scale work captures the statesman in the year of his death. It presents a subdued image, contrasting with more formal portrayals, and is housed within the American Wing collection, reflecting its historical significance.
Technique & Style
The artist rendered this portrait using watercolor on vellum, a prepared animal skin known for its smooth, durable surface. Despite its diminutive size, smaller than a standard sheet of paper, the work exhibits sharp detail. The colors are applied softly, creating a delicate, almost chalk-like effect.
The technique of glazing, involving thin, translucent layers of paint, contributes to the subtle build-up of light and tone.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (22 September 1725 – 1 April 1802) was a French painter known for the clarity and immediacy of his portraits.
