Medallio

Art Historical Context

This alabaster medallion, created between 1800 and 1883, presents a profile portrait of Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s most revered Founding Fathers. Measuring just under six inches in diameter, the circular relief captures Franklin’s distinctive features with crisp, delicate carving suited to the stone’s fine grain. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing, the work reflects the 19th-century fascination with commemorating national heroes through portable, intimate sculpture. Alabaster’s soft, slightly translucent quality allowed artisans to achieve subtle modeling and a luminou...