Saturday, June 13, 2009

Ben Franklin

I took this on the sly in the Toledo Museum. Though photography is
only expressly prohibited in the more contemporary areas, I've never
met a museum guard who especially liked it.

Anyway, this is Jean-Antoine Houdon's sculptural portrait of Ben
Franklin, made in France sometime after 1778. It's in plaster, a copy
of a bronze version that is no doubt in a museum with better resources.

I am immensely fond of this because it is Franklin as I imagine him,
looking like he's up to something. I mentioned this to
LinguistFriend, who pointed out that Franklin pretty much was up to
something his entire time in France.

So true.

CC

4 comments:

Angela in Ohio said...

Oh CC, I didn't know you were in Toledo, I would have taken you to lunch at Tony Packos!

Chalicechick said...

I head back to DC tomorrow but will probably be back before the end of the summer. LinguistFriend lives in Bowling Green now but is moving and I'm helping him pack his books. Next time I will announce it on the blog in advance.

CC

Anonymous said...

CC--

Thanks for the picture. It reminded me of someone I know. Check out my Franklin--and his neighborhood on my blog at http://patrickmurfin.livejournal.com/143815.html With a link back here.

Comrade Kevin said...

He was up to something his whole life, no matter where he was!