{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O99892"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O99892/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BP9423/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BP9423/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BP9423","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AG7231","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AF7643","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KY3892","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O99892/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O99892","accessionNumber":"C.1442-1919","objectType":"Cup","titles":[{"title":"(Tasse) gobelet litron","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"This cup commemorates the American statesman and author Benjamin Franklin.  His portrait is painted in a technique imitating carved marble called 'en grisaille'.   A similar cup, inscribed 'BINJAMIN. .FRANKLIN', complete with its saucer decorated with trophies commemorating the Franco- American alliance of 1778, is in the Wallace Collection in London.  \nRosalind Savill in her Wallace Collection Sèvres catalogue states:\n'The portrait is either taken from the anonymous drawing now in the Walters Art Gallery, or from the plaster (probably after Jean-Baptiste Nini) acquired by Sèvres in 1778 for the production of biscuit medallions of Franklin. . Between November 1778 and February 1779 fourteen blue-ground cups and saucers '<i>litron</i>' of the first size with portraits of Franklin were listed in the the painters' records...Other examples, with minor variations and the portraits in reverse, are in the Art Institute, Chicago, the Victoria and Albert Museum, at Hillwood and Upton... Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) was American Envoy to the Court of France during the American War of Independence 1776-85.  Louis XVI recognised American independence in 1777 and received Franklin at Versailles on 20 March 1778.  The official recognition of the man already popularly regarded as an apostle of liberty led to the rapid spread of his image.  Sèvres produced small busts (derived from Jean-Jacques Caffiéri and Houdon) and the biscuit portriat medallion which was copied throughout Europe, making Franklin's face 'as well known as that of the moon.'\n\nInformation taken from Savill, Rosalind. <u> The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Sèvres  Porcelai</u><u>n</u>, 3 vols.  London: Trustees of the Wallace  Collection, 1988, vol II.","physicalDescription":"Cup of sof-paste porcelain decorated with a blue ground reserved with  painted with an oval medallion with a portrait bust <i>en grisaille</i>of Benjamin Franklin.   Gilded around the upper rim with scrollwork with floral festoons.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Le Guay, Étienne-Henry (père)","id":"A29168"},"association":{"text":"gilder","id":"x39171"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Sèvres porcelain factory","id":"A406"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"porcelain","id":"AAT10662"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"gilded","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Porcelain painted with enamels and gilded","categories":[{"text":"Ceramics","id":"THES48982"},{"text":"Porcelain","id":"THES48907"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"CER","id":"THES48594"},"images":["2007BP9423","2006AG7231","2006AF7643","2018KY3892"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"139","id":"THES49874"},"free":"","case":"V","shelf":"4","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"cups","id":"AAT43202"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sèvres","id":"x29522"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1778-80","earliest":"1773-01-01","latest":"1782-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Mr John George Joicey","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"7.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"maximum","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Traces of interlaced 'L's","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Maker's mark in lilac"},{"content":"Traces of 'LG'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Gilder's mark in lilac enamel for Le Guay"},{"content":"'40'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Incised"},{"content":"'9'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":"A8728"},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Incised"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Coffee-cup of porcelain painted with enamels and gilded, the gilding by Etienne-Henry Le Guay <i>père</i>, Sèvres porcelain factory, Sèvres, ca. 1778-80.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"exh. Cleveland 1976, cat. no.207."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"de Terris, Madeleine, Les portraits gravés du grand homme <u>In</u> Musée Carnavalet- Histoire de Paris<u>Benjamin Franklin: Un Américain à Paris (1776-1785).</u>Paris: Paris Musées, 2007, pp.198-209, ill. ISBN: 978-2-7596-0010-6."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Savill, Rosalind. <u> The Wallace Collection: Catalogue of Sèvres  Porcelai</u><u>n</u>, 3 vols.  London: Trustees of the Wallace  Collection, 1988. See Vol. II, pp. 508-10 for C350, another cup gilded by Le Guay with a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, dated ca. 1778-80.  The portrait, also <i>en grisaille</i> but looking to the right, is framed by the inscription 'BINJAMIN. .FRANKLIN..'  The saucer is decorated with an American-Indian head-dress, a shield bearing a fleur de lis, a bow and arrow, anchor, spears, a laurel wreath, and branches.  \nIn her Commentary Savill notes: \n'The portrait is either taken from the anonymous drawing now in the Walters Art Gallery, or from the plaster (probably after Jean-Baptiste Nini) acquired by Sèvres in 1778 for the production of biscuit medallions of Franklin.  The portrait on C350 is in the same sense as the plaster.  The<i> fleurs de lis</i> and the American-Indian head-dress mark the Franco-American alliance of 1778... Between November 1778 and February 1779 fourteen blue-ground cups and saucers '<i>litron</i>' of the first size with portraits of Franklin were listed in the the painters' records.  Four were painted by Asselin, six by Pithou <i>jeune</i>, and four by Pithou aîné who who earned 24 livres for each portrait.  Five appear in the kiln records between December 1778 and April 1779: one by a Pithou with gilding by Le Guay, three by Asselin and Le Guay and one by Asselin and Chauvaux.  The only one described in the sales records was bought by the comte de Saint-Simon for 144 livres on 13 February 1779.  Other examples, with minor variations and the portraits in reverse, are in the Art Institute, Chicago, the Victoria and Albert Museum, at Hillwood and Upton... Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) was American Envoy to the Court of France during the American War of Independence 1776-85.  Louis XVI recognised American independence in 1777 and received Franklin at Versailles on 20 March 1778.  The official recognition of the man already popularly regarded as an apostle of liberty led to the rapid spread of his image.  Sèvres produced small busts (derived from Jean-Jacques Caffiéri and Houdon) and the biscuit portrait medallion which was copied throughout Europe, making Franklin's face 'as well known as that of the moon'.  He attended a dinner at Sèvres on 28 April 1777, given by Parent, the factory's director; Bachelier was also present and later corresponded with Franklin about establishing a technical school in America.'"},{"reference":{"text":"Simon, Miriam et al., Benjamin Franklin: Un Américain à Paris (1776-1785), Paris: Paris Musées, 2007.","id":"AUTH347813"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Franklin, Benjamin","id":"N5395"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"bust","id":"AAT47457"},{"text":"medallion","id":"AAT77354"},{"text":"grisaille","id":"AAT53386"},{"text":"portrait","id":"AAT15637"},{"text":"scrollwork","id":"AAT10205"},{"text":"festoons","id":"AAT167386"},{"text":"leaves","id":"x34654"},{"text":"flowers","id":"x35571"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Gallery 128 Decant 2003\n\nPainted with a portrait medallion of Benjamin Franklin.","date":{"text":"07/06/2004","earliest":"2004-06-07","latest":"2004-06-07"}}],"partNumbers":["C.1442-1919"],"accessionNumberNum":"1442","accessionNumberPrefix":"C","accessionYear":1919,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2004-06-07","availableToBook":false}}