Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
01.C.34 |
Object Name |
Medallion |
Title |
Medallion with Portrait of Benjamin Franklin |
Artist |
Nini, Jean Baptiste |
Artist 2 |
Walpole, Thomas |
Date |
1777 |
Description |
Profile portrait-relief of Benjamin Franklin wearing a fur hat within a circular terracotta medallion. The upper surface of the medallion reads: "B. FRANKLIN / AMERICAIN" around image. Impressed on the tranche of the sitter’s shoulder "Nini / F1777" has been engraved, with an additional "1777" repeated below. A relief shield has been rendered to the right of these inscriptions; the shield is emblazoned with a lightning rod and thunderbolt and surmounted by a crown. The underside of the medallion is plain. There are small indentations at the top for hanging / hardware purposes. The underside bears a sticker that reads, “Nini / Purchased / March 25, 1948”; there are a few additional marks below this inscription that are no longer legible. Over top of this sticker is a piece of cloth tape marked “neg 349” in handwritten pencil script. The overall condition of this object is good. A small chip is present in the ovolo rim, just beneath Franklin’s shoulder. |
Label |
Many artists created images of Benjamin Franklin while he served as U.S. ambassador to France from 1776 to 1785. This bas-relief medallion by Jean-Baptiste Nini, an Italian sculptor working in Paris, was one of the most popular and widely copied Franklin portraits. Nini chose to portray his subject wearing a humble fur hat instead of an aristocratic wig, reflecting Franklin's modest style of dress. Nini’s portrayal was modeled after a preliminary sketch by Thomas Walpole, an acquaintance of Franklin's. |
Material |
Terracotta |
Dimensions |
D-0.5 Dia-4.5 inches |
Credit line |
American Philosophical Society |
Search Terms |
18th century eighteenth century Founding Father |