Portrait of Benjamin Franklin

Illustration

Harrison W. Mark
by David Martin
published on 25 September 2024
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin Download Full Size Image

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, oil on canvas by David Martin, c. 1767.

Green Room of the White House, Washington, D.C.

This portrait of Benjamin Franklin, painted by David Martin c. 1767, depicts him as a scholarly figure of the Enlightenment with a bust of Isaac Newton gazing at him. The portrait was commissioned by Robert Alexander of William Alexander & Sons, a prominent Scottish family business based in Edinburgh during the 18th century. The portrait shows Franklin holding one of Alexander’s deeds. The painting has been called the 'thumb portrait' due to Franklin's pose.

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Cite This Work

APA Style

Martin, D. (2024, September 25). Portrait of Benjamin Franklin. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19443/portrait-of-benjamin-franklin/

Chicago Style

Martin, David. "Portrait of Benjamin Franklin." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 25, 2024. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19443/portrait-of-benjamin-franklin/.

MLA Style

Martin, David. "Portrait of Benjamin Franklin." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 25 Sep 2024. Web. 13 Oct 2024.

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