Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) 1778 - 1779

Curator: I find this terracotta medallion of Benjamin Franklin by Giovanni Battista Nini utterly charming—it's like a whispered secret from 1779. Editor: It's interesting how this piece elevates Franklin, almost mythologizing him through the material itself. Terracotta, so accessible yet so enduring, becomes a symbol of his down-to-earth genius. Curator: Exactly! There's an intimacy here, wouldn't you agree? The scale invites you to lean in, and the texture feels almost alive, capturing Franklin's playful spirit. Editor: It's carefully made for mass production but the inscriptions around the edges hint at power dynamics at play. Who was this Nini fellow and what kind of message was he trying to get across? Curator: Perhaps he saw in Franklin a kindred spirit—an artisan of ideas, shaping the world with intellect and a touch of rebellious fire. Editor: Maybe! Or maybe he was just trying to secure future business from a man of growing stature in Europe. I wonder how many of these were made and who eventually bought them? Curator: Oh, the stories this little disc could tell! It's a reminder that even the most profound figures were once here in the flesh, touched by the same sun as we are. Editor: Yes, and its material substance is a testament to the fact that great ideas are always rooted in the here and now, shaped by practical labor.