ticketsMember | Make a donation

Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

1778
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 717
Houdon's bust of Franklin was the first of his canonical portraits of leading figures in American history, among them Washington, Jefferson, John Paul Jones, the Marquis de Lafayette and Robert Fulton (1989.329). This marble, which follows the format of the original terracotta, captures those aspects of Franklin's somewhat sly persona, which so fascinated French society during his nine years in Paris (1776–85) representing the newly independent United States. His natural unpowdered hair, simple Quaker suits, and benign wit all stood in sharp contrast to the norms of diplomatic circles in which Franklin moved. Franklin's celebrity attracted fashionable hostesses and crowds in the street alike and his image was widely disseminated by the leading artists of the time.

Houdon himself produced numerous examples of his Franklin portrait in various formats and media. This cleanly truncated version, in modern dress, was clearly preferred by contemporary American statesmen and anticipates George Washington's insistence that Houdon's statue of him (1792; State Capitol Building, Richmond) show the American president in modern uniform rather than pseudo antique garb.

It has been much debated whether Franklin actually sat for Houdon or if the sculptor captured his vividly accurate image from mere passing acquaintance. He would have had ample opportunity to observe the American minister at the Masonic lodge of the Nine Sisters to which they, as well as many other artists and patrons in the expatriate community (e.g., Count Stroganov; see Voltaire and Diderot), belonged.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
  • Artist: Jean Antoine Houdon (French, Versailles 1741–1828 Paris)
  • Date: 1778
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Marble
  • Dimensions: Overall (weight confirmed): 23 1/8 × 14 1/2 × 11 1/4 in., 87 lb. (58.7 × 36.8 × 28.6 cm, 39.5 kg);
    Height (without base): 17 1/2 in. (44.5 cm)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of John Bard, 1872
  • Object Number: 72.6
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Audio

Cover Image for 4582. Benjamin Franklin (1706-90)

4582. Benjamin Franklin (1706-90)

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Marble column
Roman
Joel Barlow (1754–1812), Jean Antoine Houdon French, Plaster, French
Joel Barlow (1754–1812)
Jean Antoine Houdon
18th century
Georges-Louis-Leclerc, comte de Buffon (1707–1788), Jean Antoine Houdon French, Tinted stucco, French
Georges-Louis-Leclerc, comte de Buffon (1707–1788)
Jean Antoine Houdon
1782
George Washington (1732–1799), Jean Antoine Houdon French, Bronze, dark brown patina, French
George Washington (1732–1799)
Multiple artists/makers
19th–early 20th century, cast after a model of 1788
Woman, sometimes identified as the Princesse de Lamballe, Jean Antoine Houdon French, Plaster, French
Woman, sometimes identified as the Princesse de Lamballe
Jean Antoine Houdon
19th century

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.