Franklin's Return to Philadelphia, 1785 

Jean Leon Gerome Ferris painted 'Franklin's Return to Philadelphia, 1785,' using oil on canvas. Look closely, and you’ll see that Ferris pays close attention to the material culture of the scene. There’s the timber and rope of the ship, crafted with specialized skills. The fine textiles of the clothing, dyed and woven. Even the wooden box, with its lenses for viewing, suggests something about the popular entertainment of the time. Notice the way Ferris highlights the textures of these different materials, from the rough-hewn planks of the dock to the smooth surfaces of the glass. By emphasizing these details, Ferris invites us to consider the labor and craftsmanship that went into creating the world Franklin inhabited. The painting isn't just a historical record, but a testament to the importance of material things, and the processes that bring them into being. It asks us to think about how objects shape our lives and our history.