Business Card 1800 - 1850

Editor: Here we have a bronze business card from sometime between 1800 and 1850. It's currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The portrait in profile makes me think of a Roman coin, of classical power. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Yes, the profile, especially in bronze, is certainly evocative of power, lineage, and lasting legacy, echoing those classical forms. It taps into that visual language intentionally. The choice of Benjamin Franklin as the subject here feels key. The Latin inscription that encircles the profile, though, pulls me even further into the layers of symbolism embedded in the imagery. What do you make of it? Editor: I confess, my Latin is a little rusty. What does it say? Curator: It translates roughly to "He snatched the lightning from the sky and the scepter from tyrants." A rather bold declaration! Now, consider how this relates to Franklin. Beyond being a Founding Father, what else do we associate with him? Editor: Well, the kite experiment, right? So he literally snatched lightning from the sky! Curator: Exactly! It is a statement of Enlightenment ideals: scientific pursuit combined with revolutionary thought. It’s about overturning old orders, both literally in the natural world and figuratively in the political one. And using imagery, not just words, made those ideas much more accessible to a wide audience. Does this layering change your initial read? Editor: It does! I now see this isn't just a portrait, it's a statement, carefully constructed using classical symbols to portray Franklin as a new kind of hero: intellectual, revolutionary, and… marketable. Curator: Precisely! The symbolism amplifies his presence far beyond a mere name on a card. And by understanding these layers, we unlock the intent behind it all. Editor: Thanks, that was so insightful. I never would have caught all of that!