Benjamin Franklin
Joseph Siffred Duplessis, 1778
Duplessis Franklin — fur collar, wit, and the American in Paris.
About this work
The French painter Joseph-Siffred Duplessis made the portrait of Benjamin Franklin that, more than any other, fixed his image for posterity: it is the likeness reproduced on the U.S. hundred-dollar bill. Franklin is shown in a plain coat with a fur collar, without a wig. Duplessis painted it while Franklin was in France as the first U.S. ambassador there, where he was widely admired and secured the French support that proved vital to the American Revolutionary War. One version, commissioned by his friend Le Ray, now hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington; Wikimedia Commons dates the version we print to about 1785. Duplessis (1725–1802) was born in Carpentras, near Avignon, trained in Rome in the studio of Pierre Subleyras, and settled in Paris around 1752, where portraits became his speciality; he was known for their clarity and immediacy. Franklin himself was a printer, writer, scientist and statesman: he signed the Declaration of Independence, invented the lightning rod and bifocals, and from 1785 to 1788 served as President of Pennsylvania.
Sources: Wikimedia Commons · Wikipedia: Joseph Duplessis · Wikipedia: Benjamin Franklin
Print facts
- Native resolution
- 6,396 × 7,801 px
- Sharp at 150 ppi up to
- 42 × 52 in
- Sizes
- Small (16 × 20 in) · $100 · 390 ppi
Medium (20 × 24 in) · $150 · 320 ppi
Large (30 × 36 in) · $300 · 213 ppi - Price includes
- Frame and US shipping · 14–21 days · 30-day returns
FAQ
Where can I buy a framed print of Benjamin Franklin?
Here. Benjamin Franklin is available as a framed print in three sizes: Small (16 × 20 in) for $100, Medium (20 × 24 in) for $150 and Large (30 × 36 in) for $300. Prices include the frame and US shipping; delivery takes 14–21 days, with 30-day returns.
What size works best for Benjamin Franklin?
The file is 6,396 × 7,801 px, so every size is sharp: even Large (30 × 36 in) prints at 213 ppi. Choose Large (30 × 36 in) for a large wall; Small (16 × 20 in) suits a narrower space.
Is it legal to print Benjamin Franklin?
Yes. Benjamin Franklin is in the public domain: its copyright, if it ever had one, expired long ago. In the United States a faithful photograph of a public-domain painting does not create a new copyright (Bridgeman v. Corel, 1999), so the image can be printed and sold freely.
