American Revolution
Benjamin Franklin Oil Painting on Canvas After Duplessis
c. Mid to Late 1800s, American Oil on Canvas Painting of Benjamin Franklin, no date, artist unknown, After Joseph S. Duplessis's original Famous Portrait Painting in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Framed, Very Fine.
The present Benjamin Franklin Oil Portrait is created After one of the first and most important paintings made by a French artist after Benjamin Franklin's arrival in Europe on behalf of the American Continental Congress. That portrait by artist Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725-1802), was exhibited in the Salon of 1779. That original version signed and dated 1778 is now housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. This vintage mid to late 1800s Oil on Canvas of Benjamin Franklin being After the famous portrait by Joseph S. Duplessis. It is by an unknown American artist, unsigned, measuring about 28" x 21.75" and is handsomely framed to fully 34.5" x 28.25". The Portrait shows Franklin in chest-up pose with a rich darker background. It appears well accomplished, possibly having some prior touch up and would benefit in its eye appeal with a professional cleaning. Overall, a very respectable rendition of the Duplessis work being a wonderful classic historic painting of America's great Benjamin Franklin.
Joseph-Siffred DUPLESSIS (b. 1725, Carpentras, d. 1802, Versailles).



Duplessis was a French painter who studied with Subleyras in Rome 1745-49. Returning to France he pursued a career as portraitist in Paris, while retaining close links to his home town of Carpentras.



After 1774 Duplessis won favour at the Court of the new King, Louis XVI, and painted portraits of the entire Royal Family, as well as of Gluck (1775, Vienna) and Benjamin Franklin (1779). While in Paris, he dispatched Altar paintings to the Cathedral of Carpentras, as well as decorative landscape paintings to the local hospital. He retired to Carpentras from 1792 to 1796.