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Primary sourceSculpture1777

Terracotta Medallion of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Nini

Jean-Baptiste Nini · 1777

A 1777 terracotta relief medallion of Benjamin Franklin in a fur cap, mass-produced in France.

This medallion shows how Franklin's fur-capped image became a popular, mass-produced fashion item in France.

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Photograph of a circular relief medallion in profile showing Benjamin Franklin wearing a fur hat, with the inscription 'B. FRANKLIN' on the left and 'AMERICAIN' on the right, set in a raised molded frame.
Jean-Baptiste Nini, Portrait of Benjamin Franklin with a fur hat, terracotta, 1777. Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire.

About this source

What it is

This circular terracotta relief medallion shows Benjamin Franklin in profile wearing a fur hat, inscribed 'B. FRANKLIN' and 'AMERICAIN'. It was made in 1777 by Jean-Baptiste Nini at Chaumont-sur-Loire, France, and copies are held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Why it matters

Produced in large numbers, the medallion shows how Franklin's image, with its distinctive fur cap, became a popular and fashionable commodity in France during his time there as American envoy. It reveals how Franklin's own self-presentation helped shape his celebrity status abroad.

  • Why might Franklin's fur cap have made him stand out in fashionable Parisian society?
  • What does the mass production of this object suggest about Franklin's popularity in France?
  • How does an object made for sale differ from a formal painted portrait?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benjamin Franklin on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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