Philadelphia Salutes Benjamin Franklin On His 300th

PHILADELPHIA, PENN.

:As Philadelphia salutes the 300th birthday of the Founding Father with "Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World" at the National Constitution Center through April 30, visitors to the Philadelphia Museum of Art can also experience Franklin's world with remarkable immediacy through the visual arts.

A series of special tours and public programs offer museum visitors the opportunity to examine Franklin's life and legacy. From portraits of his prominent political and business associates to examples of the furniture and wares that would have surrounded Franklin in daily life, these ongoing programs combine to paint a textured picture of Franklin's time, place and Philadelphia milieu.

"The depth of our collection, and in particular its richness in the era of Revolutionary Philadelphia, provides a journey of the imagination that can enable visitors to make fascinating connections with the life of Benjamin Franklin," said museum guides administrator Annabelle Pelta.

"The museum-trained Park House guides are able to offer fresh insights into colonial Philadelphia, its history and architecture through these specialized presentations," according to Joyce McNeely, Park House guides administrator.

As "In Search of a Better World" ends at the Constitution Center, "In Pursuit of Genius: Jean-Antoine Houdon and the Sculpted Portraits of Benjamin Franklin" will open on May 13 and run through July 30 at the museum.

As part of the Philadelphia consortium's celebration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Franklin (1706-1790), the museum will present an exhibition focusing on its marble portrait bust of Franklin (dated 1779), the finest version of the most familiar image of this famous Philadelphian by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828).

This show will assemble, for the first time, the best versions of the Franklin bust in a range of media, from terra cotta to bronze; examples of Houdon's two later, revised portraits of Franklin; and significant sculpted portraits of Franklin by other French artists. A selection of related paintings, drawings, prints and documents will also be included. The exhibition will address Houdon's choice of Franklin as a subject, the competition among artists for the creation and control of Franklin's image in sculpture and the reaction to and influence of Houdon's portrait.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, www.philamuseum.org or 215-763-8100.