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Bust of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin, a prominent minister from the American colonies to France from 1776-1785, was a popular celebrity, resulting in a plethora of images including marble busts, paintings, prints, and miniatures.
Jean-Antoine Houdon, a prominent eighteenth-century portrait sculptor, created a powerful and fully realized version of Franklin’s famous portrait. Franklin did not sit for Houdon until 1783, likely due to their meeting at Masonic lodge meetings. Houdon likely drew inspiration from his experience with Franklin.
Houdon showcased a terracotta bust at the 1779 French Royal Academy Salon exhibition. He used molds to create reproductions in plaster and terracotta, adding distinctive touches.
German prince and Thomas Jefferson purchased plaster versions, while Franklin received four. Houdon also sold plaster versions.
Houdon’s Franklin bust, a costly marble sculpture, is only found in two examples: one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, dated 1778, and another in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, dated 1779, both meticulously carved portraits.
The marble busts were commissioned by an unknown patron, likely seeing them in the Salon or Houdon’s studio. The differences between the two may be due to the sculptor’s exceptional effort and increased familiarity with the subject’s features.
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