Artwork
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1829 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, scientist, and Founding Father, as identified in the work's subject records.
The portrait depicts Benjamin Franklin, American statesman, scientist, and Founding Father, as identified in the work's subject records. Rendered as a panel painting, it belongs to the genre of portraiture, presenting Franklin as a recognizable male figure rather than an allegorical or symbolic character. The sources do not record specific iconographic attributes, emblems, or symbolic objects associated with Franklin in this composition, nor a particular pose, costume, or setting that would carry additional meaning.
The work's documented significance therefore rests on its straightforward identification of Franklin as a historical sitter, presented in the conventional portrait format.
Technique & Style
Created in 1829, this portrait of Benjamin Franklin is executed on a panel support and attributed to an anonymous artist, classified within the genre of portraiture. Specific details regarding the handling, brushwork, or current physical condition are not documented in the available records. The formal presentation focuses on the depiction of Franklin as a man, adhering to traditional portrait conventions of the early nineteenth century without attribution to a specific named master.
The piece remains part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is categorized under The American Wing.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of Benjamin Franklin was created in 1829 and is attributed to an anonymous artist, executed on panel. Its early ownership history remains undocumented, but the work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is held within The American Wing. No specific commissioning details or prior provenance records are currently associated with the painting in the available sources, and no published exhibition history is documented.
Overview
This painting, titled Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, depicts the American statesman and inventor on a panel. The subject is shown looking directly forward, characterized by a lined face, unkempt gray hair, and a fur-trimmed coat against a somber, unadorned background. Notably, this work was created posthumously, potentially many years after Franklin's death, and its creator remains unidentified. It offers an imagined representation rather than a direct observation of the historical figure.
Artist & collection
