Plaque 1776 - 1883

James Tassie, a Scottish gem engraver and modeler, created this glass paste plaque of Benjamin Franklin. It's an object born of the Enlightenment, a time when reason and science were reshaping society. Consider Franklin's persona as the self-made man, a figure who rose through intellect and hard work. How does this image contribute to that narrative? Tassie's choice of rendering Franklin in profile, like a Roman emperor, subtly elevates him, linking the American statesman to a lineage of power and intellect. Yet, there's a softness to the features, a humanizing touch that sets him apart from those distant, often idealized, figures. What does it mean to cast such a revolutionary figure in the material of luxury, of classicism? This plaque invites us to reflect on how we memorialize our heroes. The image invites you to contemplate not just the historical figure, but the very act of creating and celebrating identity.