Antique c.1856 Steel Engraving — "Franklin" — Elaborate Allegorical Portrait — After Duplessis — Engraved by W.J. Edwards — Published by Martin Johnson & Co., New York
You are looking at a striking original 19th-century steel engraving of Benjamin Franklin — one of the most visually impressive portrait prints of America's most celebrated Founding Father.
The portrait is after the famous 1778 painting by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis, the French court painter who captured Franklin during his celebrated years in Paris as American Ambassador to France. The Duplessis portrait is the definitive image of Franklin — the one reproduced on the $100 bill — and this engraving captures every detail of the original with remarkable fidelity. The engraving was executed by W.J. Edwards, one of the leading American engravers of the mid-19th century.
The composition is one of the most elaborate in 19th-century American portrait engraving:
•A large central portrait of Franklin in his characteristic fur-collared coat and flowing white hair, set within an elaborate rococo scrollwork border
•Top vignette: An allegorical scene with the figure of Liberty and a winged angel holding a stone tablet inscribed "Washington / Adams / Jefferson / Franklin" — the four great Founding Fathers, honoring Franklin's place among them
•Bottom vignette: An oval scene labeled "Declaration of Independence" showing the Founders gathered at the historic signing
•Elaborate rococo scrollwork, acanthus leaves, and floral garlands throughout the border
•Facsimile signature "Franklin" in script below the portrait
This print is from the Martin Johnson & Co. series of large allegorical patriotic portraits — a more ambitious and decorative format than the standard portrait engravings of the period. A companion Thomas Jefferson print from the same series is also available separately in this seller's store.
Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) was a Founding Father, diplomat, scientist, inventor, author, and statesman. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence, negotiated the Treaty of Paris, and served as the first U.S. Postmaster General. He is the only Founding Father to have signed all four of the key documents of the founding era: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the U.S. Constitution. His face has appeared on the $100 bill since 1914.
Condition: Good antique condition. The central portrait is clean, crisp, and fully intact with strong contrast and excellent detail. Please note: there is notable foxing (brown spotting) in the lower left corner area of the sheet, extending from the lower left margin toward the "J.A. Duplessis" credit line. This is in the margin and decorative border area, not in the central portrait. Please review all condition photos carefully before purchasing.
What you receive: The original antique engraving only. Not framed. Genuine mid-19th century print.
Ships flat between rigid cardboard, fully insured.