Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky

Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky
ArtistBenjamin West
Completion date1816
MediumOil on slate
Dimensions13 3/8 x 10 1/16 inches (34 x 25.6 cm)
LocationPhiladelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia

Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky is a c. 1805 painting by Benjamin West in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.[1] It depicts American Founding Father Benjamin Franklin conducting his kite experiment in 1752 to ascertain the electrical nature of lighting. West composed his 13.25 in × 10 in (33.7 cm × 25.4 cm) work using oil on a slate. The painting blends elements of both Neoclassicism and Romanticism.[2] Franklin knew West, which influenced the creation of this painting.[1]

Omnia Vincit Amor, by Benjamin West, c. 1809, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  1. ^ a b "Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky". philamuseum.org. Philadelphia Museum of Art. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  2. ^ Williams, Hobart Lyle (1964). "[A Selection of Works Given to the Museum]". Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin. 60 (283/284): 36–37. doi:10.2307/3795199. ISSN 0031-7314. JSTOR 3795199.