Artwork
Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin is an ivory painting by the Romanticist artist Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille. It dates from 1841 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The technique likely involved careful incising or painting on the ivory support, with fine detailing to capture Franklin’s facial features and attire.
The plaque portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille employs ivory as its primary medium, a material commonly used for small-scale portraiture in the early 19th century due to its smooth surface and luminous qualities. The work measures 8.3 cm in height and 6.7 cm in width, suggesting a miniature format intended for intimate display or personal keepsake. The technique likely involved careful incising or painting on the ivory support, with fine detailing to capture Franklin’s facial features and attire.
Stylistically, the plaque adheres to the portrait genre conventions of the period, emphasizing realistic representation and refined craftsmanship. No specific condition details are provided in the sources, but ivory’s susceptibility to cracking or yellowing over time would be a typical concern for such works.
History & Provenance
The Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin was created in 1841 by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille, as documented in museum records. The work is an ivory miniature, a genre associated with intimate portraiture during the period. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains located, though the circumstances of its commission and early ownership are not specified in available sources.
The dating aligns with Defeuille's active period, and the ivory support reflects contemporary portrait practices among miniature artists of the early 19th century.
The Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, an ivory work created in 1841 by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Within the museum's structure, the piece is classified under The American Wing. While the provided records confirm its location and the artist's name, they do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the object.
Furthermore, the available sources contain no information regarding the work's exhibition history, leaving its display record undocumented in this context.
Legacy
The Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, executed in 1841 by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille on ivory, entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has been displayed in The American Wing, situating the work within a broader narrative of early American portraiture and ensuring its continued public visibility. Its representation of the iconic statesman links it to the enduring cultural memory of Franklin, influencing subsequent artistic depictions and scholarly examinations of 19th‑century American iconography. The inclusion of the plaque in a major museum’s permanent installation has contributed to its reputation as a significant artifact of historical portraiture.
Overview
This small ivory plaque, created by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille in 1841, presents a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Rendered in delicate brown tones, the miniature captures Franklin's likeness with direct eye contact and subtle facial details. As a carved plaque portrait, it exemplifies a form of commemorative art popular in the 19th century, serving as a personal memento within The American Wing's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork depicts Benjamin Franklin, a prominent figure in American history, decades after his death. Such miniature portraits were often cherished as keepsakes, allowing individuals to retain a tangible connection to revered personalities. This particular piece likely served to perpetuate Franklin's legacy and memory, offering a portable and intimate representation of the statesman for its owner.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille
Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille was a Parisian portraitist of the 1800s who worked in miniature, painting on slivers of ivory smaller than a postage stamp.
