Plaque Portrait of Benjamin Franklin 1800 - 1883

This is a plaque portrait of Benjamin Franklin by Louis Benjamin Huber Defeuille. The miniature is painted on ivory in an oval shape. Look at how the artist has used a limited palette of blacks, whites, and grays. The composition focuses on Franklin's head and shoulders, turned slightly to his right. The texture of Franklin's hair and the soft fabric of his cravat are meticulously rendered using delicate brushstrokes. The background is neutral. Defeuille directs our attention to the play of light and shadow on Franklin's face, creating a sense of depth. The semiotic interplay between the whiteness of his hair and cravat against the darker coat, signifies wisdom and status. The oval shape itself is a classical form, suggesting an adherence to tradition. Ultimately, this portrait isn't just a representation of an individual, but also a carefully constructed image that reflects the subject's persona and the artist’s formal skill. Consider how the work destabilizes our understanding of portraiture by using its subject to make a statement about the status of the sitter.