Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky

West based his painting on a well-known experiment Franklin conducted in 1752. Franklin observed that lightning frequently destroyed homes by igniting those made of wood. Franklin was determined to prove the presence of electricity in lightning through an experiment. Franklin's experiment, in its initial conception, depended on the completion of Christ Church in Philadelphia, whose steeples would be sufficiently high as to attract a lightning strike. Franklin then conceived of an alternative experiment that involved flying a kite during a thunderstorm with a metal key attached to the string. Franklin conducted his experiment in private for several reasons, including its dangerous nature, and he did not want to disappoint the scientific community if the experiment failed. He decided to experiment alongside his son William in a field. Franklin demonstrated that the clouds carried an electrical charge by bringing a finger near the metal key, producing a spark. == Description and interpretation ==

Painting Franklin is pictured raising his hand into the stormy skies as the clouds open above him. A spark appears between the key and Franklin's hand. West depicts Franklin with white hair, as he is popularly remembered. He holds a scroll in his left hand and is wearing a red cloak that is blowing in the wind. To Franklin's right is a group of cherubs assisting him in his experiment by holding the kite string and observing him. West dresses one of these cherubs in traditional Native American attire. Cherubs were traditionally used in Apotheosis paintings that deify humans. Directly to Franklin's right is another group of cherubs tinkering with a tool. Franklin's right arm, the Cherub to his right, and the Cherub to his left, come together to form a triangle, the compositional foundation of the entire painting. The arrangement directs the viewers' eyes to Franklin's hand and the lightning key. West amplifies this effect by clearly defining the edges of the key and making the surrounding electricity more pronounced than the lighting in the distance. Other works of art, such as Carl Rohl-Smith's Statue of Young Benjamin Franklin with Kite, provide a more accurate representation of Franklin at the time of his experiment, giving him a significantly younger appearance. West's relationship with Franklin West and Franklin initially met in London, then developed an amicable relationship as fellow Philadelphians. West was born in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and Franklin moved to Pennsylvania in his early adulthood. They became close enough that West asked Franklin to be godfather to his second son. West decided to make the painting to celebrate the achievements of his friend after Franklin's death. The painting was intended to be a study for a much larger painting that West planned to donate in honor of his friend to the Philadelphia Hospital, established by Franklin. == In modern culture ==

In 1956 the United States selected this painting to be featured on their memorial postage stamp commemorating the 250 anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth. ==See also==