On loan to The Met The Met accepts temporary loans of art both for short-term exhibitions and for long-term display in its galleries.

Thomas Jefferson

Jean Antoine Houdon French

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 899

Upon succeeding Franklin as American minister to France, Jefferson presented his credentials to Louis XVI at Versailles in 1785. While in Paris, he sat for this marble bust by Houdon, a sculptor he regarded highly. Jefferson’s head is slightly tilted, and his eyes, deeply carved below bushy eyebrows, look away from the viewer. Renowned for his lifelike portraits, the artist rendered the sitter dressed and coiffed according to contemporary fashion.

Thomas Jefferson, Jean Antoine Houdon (French, Versailles 1741–1828 Paris), Marble

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Photograph © 2018 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston