Benjamin Franklin (on a bench) (1987)

by George Lundeen (b. 1948)

Photo Caption: Photo Caitlin Martin © 2014 for the Association for Public Art
  • Title

    Benjamin Franklin (on a bench)

  • Artist

    George Lundeen (b. 1948)

  • Year

    1987; relocated 1992

  • Location

    University of Pennsylvania, 37th Street and Locust Walk (SE corner)

  • Medium

    Bronze

  • Dimensions

    Height: 4'2″; Width: 4'10″; Depth 2'

  • Themes

    Benjamin Franklins

Gift of the class of 1962 to the University of Pennsylvania

Owned by the University of Pennsylvania

At A Glance

  • A gift to the University of Pennsylvania from the class of 1962 in honor of the class’s 25th reunion

  • Franklin is shown reading The Pennsylvania Gazette

  • Franklin printed and contributed under aliases to the newspaper

Sitting on a bench with a newspaper in hand and a pigeon at his side, George Lundeen’s Benjamin Franklin (on a bench) was a gift from the class of 1962 to the University of Pennsylvania in honor of the class’s 25th reunion. (The sculpture’s plaque reads, “Benjamin Franklin on Campus / Created For and Given by the Class of 1962.”) Franklin is shown reading a copy of the The Pennsylvania Gazette, the newspaper that he and Hugh Meredith purchased in 1729. Franklin not only printed the newspaper, but he contributed his own writings under aliases as well. The copy that Franklin is reading is dated May 16, 1987.

This artwork is part of the Around University City tour

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