Benjamin Franklin - Item #202
Photo of male bust sculpture on tall pedestal next to a window in a dining room
Photo of male bust sculpture on tall pedestal in between two windows in a dining room
Sepia-toned photo of male bust sculpture on tall pedestal in between two windows in a dining room
Photo of male bust sculpture on tall pedestal in between two windows in a dining room
Photo of male bust sculpture on tall shelf with book shelves behind it
$ 980.00

Benjamin Franklin - Item #202

Patina Options

Each piece is custom finished. Depending on a sculpture’s texture and level of detail, the look of a patina can vary. A slight variation in color from order to order is to be expected.

Unless otherwise noted, our reproductions are hand cast in plaster and reinforced with burlap, fiber strands, and/or metal rods for extra strength.

 

FLAT WHITE: A unified, matte white finish. This is the optimum patina for cast drawing as it allows focus on form.

photo of cast of sculpture relief of robed figure, head now missing, reaching for her sandal in Flat White Patina on a dark gray background       

WHITE PATINA: A white finish with a light ivory tone added to the top surfaces.

       

LIGHT ANTIQUE PLASTER: A soft mixture of whites, grays, and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

ANTIQUE PLASTER: A dramatic mixture of grays and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

BRONZE: A rich brown finish with golden highlights to replicate the look of bronze.

     

STONE: A mixture of lighter tones to resemble natural stone.

 

DARK STONE: A mixture of darker tones to resemble natural stone.

 

SANDSTONE: A soft base color with warm highlights to resemble the look of natural sandstone.

 

TERRA COTTA: A variation of warm tones to resemble terra cotta.

 

ASSYRIAN STONE (Applies only to item numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 738): A two-tone patina augmenting the shallow relief sculpture and its stone texture.

TANAGRA PATINA (Applies only to item numbers 317, 318, 319, 320, 396 and 813): A finish that replicates the colors of the Tanagra figurines as shown in the product images.

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26 Inches High x 13.5 Inches Wide x 12 Inches Deep

Counting on Franklin's popularity to sell the pieces, Houdon created two busts of Franklin, beginning with this one in 1778. At the time, Franklin was the American minister to the court of Louis XVI, a position he would hold until 1785. This life-size portrait is regarded as the best depiction of Franklin, a stunning fact considering that he may never have sat for Houdon. It was also the first bust Houdon created in what would be a series of American portraits. The bust, in many variations, was widely reproduced. Two original marble copies with slight differences are located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania.

 

Artist: Jean-Antoine Houdon

Museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY and The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, USA

Time Period: Modern- Neoclassical, 1778

1911 Catalog ID # - 5446A

 

Sources:

"Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)." The Metropolitan Museum of Arthttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/208578.

"Bust of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)." Philadelphia Museum of Arthttps://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/90227.html.

Hirayama, Hina. "Busts of Franklin and Lafayette by Jean-Antoine Houdon." Acquired Tastes: 200 Years of Collecting for the Boston Athenæum, edited by Stanley Ellis Cushing and David B. Dearinger, The Boston Athenæum, 2006, pp. 261-265. Boston Athenæum, https://www.bostonathenaeum.org/about/publications/selections-acquired-tastes/busts-franklin-and-lafayette-jean-antoine-houdon.

Pieces are plaster unless otherwise noted. They are made to order and hand cast. We offer our pieces in a variety of patinas/finishes. Click next tab for more details.

Small and large reliefs (except tabletop pieces as noted) and masks come with one or more embedded hooks for hanging as necessary.

Questions? View the FAQ page for more information and for answers to frequently asked questions. Email us at contact@capronicollection.com or call us at 781-933-2455.

Each piece is custom finished. Depending on a sculpture’s texture and level of detail, the look of a patina can vary. A slight variation in color from order to order is to be expected.

Unless otherwise noted, our reproductions are hand cast in plaster and reinforced with burlap, fiber strands, and/or metal rods for extra strength.

 

FLAT WHITE: A unified, matte white finish. This is the optimum patina for cast drawing as it allows focus on form.

photo of cast of sculpture relief of robed figure, head now missing, reaching for her sandal in Flat White Patina on a dark gray background       

WHITE PATINA: A white finish with a light ivory tone added to the top surfaces.

       

LIGHT ANTIQUE PLASTER: A soft mixture of whites, grays, and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

ANTIQUE PLASTER: A dramatic mixture of grays and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

BRONZE: A rich brown finish with golden highlights to replicate the look of bronze.

     

STONE: A mixture of lighter tones to resemble natural stone.

 

DARK STONE: A mixture of darker tones to resemble natural stone.

 

SANDSTONE: A soft base color with warm highlights to resemble the look of natural sandstone.

 

TERRA COTTA: A variation of warm tones to resemble terra cotta.

 

ASSYRIAN STONE (Applies only to item numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 738): A two-tone patina augmenting the shallow relief sculpture and its stone texture.

TANAGRA PATINA (Applies only to item numbers 317, 318, 319, 320, 396 and 813): A finish that replicates the colors of the Tanagra figurines as shown in the product images.

Most pieces ship within a few days to 3 weeks as they are made to order and hand cast.

Customers in the contiguous United States receive free ground shipping automatically at checkout. Customers located elsewhere can find shipping options in the checkout process.

Pieces must be opened and inspected within 48 hours of delivery to report any damage.

Returns are not accepted; all sales are final as pieces are made to order and hand cast.

View the FAQ page for more information and for answers to frequently asked questions.

Additional Information

Pieces are plaster unless otherwise noted. They are made to order and hand cast. We offer our pieces in a variety of patinas/finishes. Click next tab for more details.

Small and large reliefs (except tabletop pieces as noted) and masks come with one or more embedded hooks for hanging as necessary.

Questions? View the FAQ page for more information and for answers to frequently asked questions. Email us at contact@capronicollection.com or call us at 781-933-2455.

View Patina Options

Each piece is custom finished. Depending on a sculpture’s texture and level of detail, the look of a patina can vary. A slight variation in color from order to order is to be expected.

Unless otherwise noted, our reproductions are hand cast in plaster and reinforced with burlap, fiber strands, and/or metal rods for extra strength.

 

FLAT WHITE: A unified, matte white finish. This is the optimum patina for cast drawing as it allows focus on form.

photo of cast of sculpture relief of robed figure, head now missing, reaching for her sandal in Flat White Patina on a dark gray background       

WHITE PATINA: A white finish with a light ivory tone added to the top surfaces.

       

LIGHT ANTIQUE PLASTER: A soft mixture of whites, grays, and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

ANTIQUE PLASTER: A dramatic mixture of grays and yellows to replicate the look of an aged plaster cast.

     

BRONZE: A rich brown finish with golden highlights to replicate the look of bronze.

     

STONE: A mixture of lighter tones to resemble natural stone.

 

DARK STONE: A mixture of darker tones to resemble natural stone.

 

SANDSTONE: A soft base color with warm highlights to resemble the look of natural sandstone.

 

TERRA COTTA: A variation of warm tones to resemble terra cotta.

 

ASSYRIAN STONE (Applies only to item numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 738): A two-tone patina augmenting the shallow relief sculpture and its stone texture.

TANAGRA PATINA (Applies only to item numbers 317, 318, 319, 320, 396 and 813): A finish that replicates the colors of the Tanagra figurines as shown in the product images.

Shipping & Returns

Most pieces ship within a few days to 3 weeks as they are made to order and hand cast.

Customers in the contiguous United States receive free ground shipping automatically at checkout. Customers located elsewhere can find shipping options in the checkout process.

Pieces must be opened and inspected within 48 hours of delivery to report any damage.

Returns are not accepted; all sales are final as pieces are made to order and hand cast.

View the FAQ page for more information and for answers to frequently asked questions.