Portrait of Benjamin Franklin (After Thomas Gainsborough), 18th century
No Image Available
  • Overview
  • Description
  • Further Information
Possibly England
Thomas Gainsborough
Oil on canvas; Framed: 43 1/4 in. (109.9 cm), W. 33 1/4 in. (84.5 cm); strainer: H. 36 1/2, /w. 28 1/2
University of Pennsylvania Art Collection (Philadelphia, Pa.), 0482 (earlier 59)
Graphic images of Franklin were published widely during his lifetime, providing models for artists to copy. The richness of those contemporary sources sometimes makes it difficult to determine the authenticity of a portrait, particularly after the passage of time has aged the pigments and the support medium.
postmaster@benfranklin300.org Terms of Use Credits