Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725–1802), Benjamin Franklin, 1785

Duplessis was one of the leading French portrait painters of the late 18th century. His depiction of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) emphasises the down-to-earth character of the American ambassador: Franklin does not wear a wig; his clothing is decidedly simple. Franklin's dignity is in his facial features, which mirror his rich life experience, in the enigmatic smile and the expression of his eyes that combines goodness and intelligence. Duplessis shows that Franklin’s personality was grounded not in external glamour but "natural" characteristics.

Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725–1802), portrait of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), oil on canvas, 1785, source: © National Portrait Gallery, London, http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/brush/ben.htm.