In the event of a government shutdown, the Smithsonian will remain OPEN through at least Saturday, October 7. Check back for updates...
Benjamin Franklin
Social Media Share Tools
Object Details
- Artist
- Joseph Siffred Duplessis, 22 Sep 1725 - 1 Apr 1802
- Sitter
- Benjamin Franklin, 17 Jan 1706 - 17 Apr 1790
- Exhibition Label
- Born Boston, Massachusetts
- During his time, Benjamin Franklin was the most famous American in the world. He remains highly visible today as the face on the $100 bill; this portrait was selected as the basis for that engraving in 1995.
- Franklin represented colonial interests in England from 1757 to 1775. Upon his return, he was unanimously elected to represent Pennsylvania at the Second Continental Congress. Behind him was a lifetime of achievement as a printer, an unsurpassed author of wit and wisdom, an inventor, and a scientist. Ahead were his roles as a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a member of the Constitutional Convention. In between was his triumph as a diplomat in France (1776–85), where this portrait was commissioned by Madame Brillon de Jouy. In a letter, she praised Franklin for his sound moral teaching and lively imagination but found his “droll roguishness” most endearing.
- Nacido en Boston, Massachusetts
- En su época, Benjamin Franklin fue el estadounidense más famoso del mundo. Hoy todavía está muy presente con su imagen en los billetes de $100, y fue este retrato el que se usó como base para ese grabado en 1995.
- Franklin representó los intereses de la colonia en Inglaterra entre 1757 y 1775. A su regreso fue elegido unánimemente para representar a Pensilvania en el Segundo Congreso Continental. Tenía tras de sí una vida de logros como impresor, autor de ingenio y sabiduría sin par, inventor y científico. Más tarde sería uno de los firmantes de la Declaración de Independencia y miembro de la Convención Constitucional. Mientras tanto, triunfó como diplomático en Francia (1776–85), donde Madame Brillon de Jouy encargó este retrato. En una carta, ella elogió a Franklin por sus sensatos consejos morales y su viva imaginación, si bien por otro lado habla encantada de su “graciosa picardía”.
- Provenance
- Sitter; gift to Anne Louise Boyvin d'Hardancourt, Mme. Brillon de Jouy [1744-1824]. Her descendant Gilles de Carpentier, Toulouse; sold through (Meredith Frapier, Paris) to NPG 1987
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation
- c. 1785
- Object number
- NPG.87.43
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- Stretcher: 72.4 x 59.7 x 3.8cm (28 1/2 x 23 1/2 x 1 1/2")
- Frame: 92.7 x 80 x 8.3cm (36 1/2 x 31 1/2 x 3 1/4")
- Place
- France\Île-de-France\Ville de Paris, Départment de\Paris
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Exhibition
- Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
- On View
- NPG, East Gallery 140
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair
- Benjamin Franklin: Male
- Benjamin Franklin: Literature\Writer
- Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman
- Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Congressman\Continental congressman
- Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman\Signer of Declaration
- Benjamin Franklin: Science and Technology\Scientist
- Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Diplomat
- Benjamin Franklin: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist
- Benjamin Franklin: Science and Technology\Inventor
- Benjamin Franklin: Crafts and Trades\Printer
- Benjamin Franklin: Politics and Government\Government official\Postmaster
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.87.43
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm475b7579c-6a44-44f5-8e40-c325f3d98fe7
Related Content
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.