Benjamin Franklin — Mezzotint Portrait
Augsburg: J. E. Haid, 1778 — Frame: 10 x 7 inches; sight: 8⅜ x 5⅜ inches
 
A finely executed mezzotint portrait of Franklin, shown in composed bust-length within a molded oval, above an inscribed tablet praising his achievements in American public life and his celebrated experiments in electricity. Published in Augsburg by Johann Elias Haid, the print reflects the widespread European admiration for Franklin as both statesman and man of science during the Revolutionary era. The soft tonal transitions characteristic of the mezzotint process lend the likeness a notable depth and clarity.
 
Condition: Very fine.