Depicts head and shoulders of figure, turned left, showing right profile. Brown hair and eyes, ruddy complexion. The coat is blue with silver buttons, the neckcloth and ruffle white. The background is white with a very fine black line around the oval. Inscribed "J. Jay" on front, bottom.

This miniature was painted after Mason Chamberlin’s 1762 portrait of Benjamin Franklin (located at the Philadelphia Museum of Art). The small rectangular composition is executed in opaque watercolor on ivory. The overall brown tones and coloring of this miniature are essentially the same as Chamberlin’s original. Franklin is seated in an armchair in his study during an evening thunderstorm, listening to the ringing of two bells at his left. An iron lightning rod is attached to a chimney outside the window. The painting also shows two small cork balls (to the left of Franklin’s shoulder), which are electrified (and thus repelled) by the storm outside. Franklin wears a white shirt with a ruffled cravat and ruffled cuffs, brown trousers, a brown waistcoat, and a brown coat. He holds a notebook in his left hand, and grasps a writing quill in his right. Franklin appears young (he would have been in his mid-fifties when Chamberlin painted the original canvas) and wears a powdered wig. The background consists of a green baize-colored curtain and a window providing a glimpse to the storm (and Franklin’s scientific experiments) outside. It is not clear whether the 19th-century frame that houses the miniature is original to the work, or if it was added at a later date. The frame is backed by a pine panel, held in place with seven brass pins (there are spaces for four additional pins, which are not present). A printed paper label glued to the back of the frame reads: "BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: MINIATURE ON IVORY / American School, Late XVIII Century".

This portrait depicts a bust-length, three-quarter profile portrait of Franklin, facing left, wearing a brown overcoat with cloth-covered buttons, a white neckcloth, round wire spectacles, and a close-fitting brown (beaver?) fur cap. In the lower left corner of the painting "Franklin" has been inscribed in ochre-colored, cursive lettering. The background of the composition is uniformly brown. This painting is virtually identical to Augustin de Saint Aubin’s 1777 engraving of Benjamin Franklin. Saint Aubin’s engraving was taken from a drawing by Charles Nicolas Cochin (the Younger).

This miniature watercolor-on-ivory portrait of Benjamin Franklin is a copy after a 1778 pastel by Joseph Siffred Duplessis. Set against a mottled red background within a small oval, Franklin faces the viewer’s right. The bust-length sitter wears a ruffled white shirt, a gray waistcoat, and a gray coat with cloth-covered buttons. Franklin was in his 70s when he sat for Duplessis, and his advanced age is evident: his gray hair recedes, his brow is wrinkled, the flesh surrounding his alert blue eyes appears baggy, and he sports a prominent double chin. The miniature is housed within an oval frame. The main section of the frame appears to be constructed from rolled and tooled metal; atop the frame is a cast bow and an attached loop for hanging. The reverse of the frame is open, and a black, mottled backing board has been clipped (via six metal prongs) into place to keep the object intact. While the maker of this object is presently unidentified, the deftly rendered likeness and attention to detail may indicate that this object originated in Duplessis’s studio after 1778.

Case opens like book, with clasp. Portrait painted on ivory is on right side when opened, set into gold-toned metal frame. Franklin wears fur coat. Opposite side is padded velvet.

Oval, half-length portrait with body turned slightly to the right, in front of a gray background. Subject has blonde, graying hair, brown eyes, and a rosy complexion. He wears his hair loose around his shoulders. The subject wears a green, fur-trimmed cloak and a white, satin waistcoat, neckcloth, and lace jabot.

Three-quarter length portrait of figure seated at a cloth-covered table, facing left. The subject holds papers in his left hand, and his right hand is raised to his face, where he rests his chin on his thumb. He wears spectacles and a powdered wig, as well as a blue coat with gold buttons and ribbon and a white shirt with ruffled sleeves. Additional books and papers are scattered on the table in the left background. Along the left side of the canvas, facing the sitter, is a large, bronze bust of Isaac Newton. Behind the bust is red drapery. Unsigned and undated.

Oval, bust-length portrait with body turned slightly to the right. Subject has shoulder-length, gray hair, gray eyes, and is wearing a green coat with a fur collar, a white collar and neckcloth, and silver spectacles. Unsigned and undated.

Waist-length portrait with body turned to the right, in front of a gray background. The subject has brown hair and brown eyes. She wears a dress of changeant mauve silk, with a ruffle of filmy, white material along the low-cut neckline. A scarf of blue silk is draped over her shoulders. She wears a jeweled ornament in her hair above her forehead, as well as a pendant pearl earring and pearl ornament on the sleeve closest to the viewer. Unsigned and undated.

Bust-length portrait with body turned slightly to the left, in front of gray-tan shaded background. Subject has white hair, blue eyes, and a ruddy complexion. He is wearing a black coat and waistcoat and a white neckcloth with an embroidered ruffle. Unsigned and undated on front.

Half-length portrait with body turned slightly to the right, and head turned to the left, in front of a light tan background. Subject has blonde, graying hair, gray eyes, and a rosy complexion. He is wearing a brown overcoat with a fur collar, a dark blue coat and waistcoat, a vermilion inner waistcoat, and a white collar and neckcloth. The original canvas was signed on the back with Thomas Sully's monogram, and the inscription, "From Jefferson 1821. Finished in 1830." Unsigned and undated on canvas front.

This miniature, watercolor-on-ivory portrait of Benjamin Franklin is a copy after Duplessis’ 1778 "fur collar" portrait of the diplomat. Contained within a small oval, Franklin faces the viewer’s right. He is presented as a bust-length portrait and wears a ruffled white shirt, a red waistcoat, and a red coat with a (fox?) fur collar and brass buttons. Franklin was in his seventies when he sat for Duplessis, and his advanced age is evident in this miniature: his gray hair recedes, his brow is wrinkled, his eyes appear tired and baggy, and he sports a prominent double chin. While the maker of this object is presently unidentified, the deftly rendered likeness (see especially Franklin’s mouth and eyes) and meticulous attention to detail may indicate that this object originated in Duplessis’s studio after 1780. The miniature is housed on an elaborate stand. The substructure of the stand appears to be wood; the stand itself is covered in leather with gold-leaf tooled decoration. The front surface of the stand (on which the miniature is mounted) is covered in crimson silk. On the reverse of the stand a wax seal with a wreath, stars, and monogram has been attached. Attached to the underside of the stand is a printed label, "Vu & certifié véritable par / nous Membres du Jury des Arts" with the inscribed signatures "Mellot J. Minot. C. Guillemes."

Franklin is presented as a bust-length portrait with his body turned slightly right. He wears a ruffled white shirt, a red waistcoat, and a red coat with a fur collar and brass buttons. After portrait by Joseph Siffred Duplessis or copy of original. Unsigned and undated.

This miniature, watercolor portrait of Benjamin Franklin is a loose copy after Duplessis’ 1778 "fur collar" portrait of the diplomat. Contained within a square gold frame, Franklin faces the viewer’s right. He is presented as a bust-length portrait and wears a ruffled white shirt, a gold waistcoat, and a red coat "Signed "Cope" on lower right corner (attributed to Margaretta Porter Cope).

Half-length portrait of elderly man, body turned left. Wearing blue coat, violet waistcoat with silver buttons, white neckclocth and ruffles, silver spectacles. Red curtain and gray column in background, blue sky in right margin. Signed "H. B. McIntyre 1937" on lower left corner. After miniature portrait by Jean Pierre Henri Elouis (National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian).

Benjamin Franklin appears in the center of this painting, standing on the second blue step leading to the red, richly-curtained dais, within an ornately-paneled room. He gestures to a document with his right hand. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette face him, seated in their thrones on the dais. These central figures are surrounded by whispering French courtiers and American commissioners, which include the Cardinal de Rohan, the Comte de Vergennes, Pierre Beaumarchais, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee. Unsigned and undated.