Figured flask 1824

This Figured Flask of dark glass was made at the Kensington Glass Works, which was founded in Philadelphia in 1816. The flask immortalizes Benjamin Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers, in a way that tells us much about how the cultural elite wanted to be seen. In his role as statesman and diplomat, Franklin helped shape the new republic's identity in the crucible of revolution. This flask serves as a vessel, literally and figuratively, for containing and preserving the legacy of revolutionary ideals. In this historical context, the flask can be seen as an assertion of national identity, using Franklin's image to promote a sense of shared heritage and values. It reminds us that identities are constructed as well as inherited, and that the stories we tell about ourselves are as important as the lives we actually lead. In its humble way, this flask asks us to consider the narratives we choose to remember and pass on.