Bust of Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Jacques Caffieri - Philadelphia, PA - Philatelic Photographs on Waymarking.com

As America’s first ambassador to France, Benjamin Franklin spent about 10 years in Paris from 1776 to 1785. Many likenesses of the popular Franklin were made during this period which were widely distributed, leading Franklin to quip to his daughter that his face was “as well known in France as that of the moon.” One of these likenesses was a portrait bust by Jean-Jacques Caffieri who had become royal sculptor to King Louis XV. Another bust by the equally renowned French sculptor Jean Antoine Houdon, was also executed around this time.

Benjamin Franklin also served as the first postmaster of the United States and as such, appeared on many early U.S. postage stamps. Literally hundreds of stamps issued from the 1850s through the 1920s portray either the Houdon or the Caffieri bust of Franklin. This high value regular postage stamp was issued in 1917 but was based on a design which first appeared in 1912.

Both Caffieri and Houdon made multiple copies of their artwork in a variety of media. This marble example of the Caffieri bust resides in the Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery, a part of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. It specializes in contemporary portraits of the Founding Fathers and other revolutionary-era notables. The bust is easily photographed, including the profile familiar to philatelists.

Stamp Issuing Country: United States Date of Issue: 19-May-1917 Denomination: $1.00 Color: violet brown Stamp Type: Single Stamp Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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