Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky (c.1816) by Benjamin West

Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky - Benjamin West - c.1816

Artwork Information

TitleBenjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky
ArtistBenjamin West
Datec.1816
Art MovementNeoclassicism

About Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky

The artwork titled “Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky” is a portrait created by the artist Benjamin West around the year 1816. This piece belongs to the Neoclassicism art movement and skillfully captures a historical moment involving Benjamin Franklin, a prominent figure of the era.

In the artwork, Benjamin Franklin is depicted in a dynamic and dramatic pose, seemingly drawing electricity from a stormy sky. The scene is illuminated by a bolt of lightning, highlighting Franklin’s concentration as he holds a key aloft, while children, portrayed as cherubs, assist him. The ethereal backdrop of turbulent clouds and the vivid red cloak draped around Franklin enhance the sense of intensity and grandeur. The presence of scientific instruments and the expressions of the cherubs contribute to the narrative of discovery and intellectual pursuit. The overall composition and coloring embody the neoclassical ideals of heroism and enlightenment, central themes in Benjamin West’s oeuvre.

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