Benjamin Franklin Terracotta Portrait Plaque
France, 1777 - Diameter: 4½ inches
 
A finely modeled terracotta portrait plaque of Benjamin Franklin by the French medalist Jean-Baptiste Nini, produced during Franklin’s residence in France. Created at Chaumont, Nini’s portrait plaques became widely admired among European intellectual circles and patrons sympathetic to the American cause.
 
The present example reflects the remarkable popularity Franklin enjoyed abroad as both diplomat and man of science and stands as an enduring symbol of the cultural alliance between France and the emerging United States.
 
Condition: Excellent.