THE GROLIER CLUB ANNOUNCES OPENING OF EXHIBITION CELEBRATING BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AS WRITER AND PRINTER – Free -
At the time of his death, Franklin was well known around the world as a scientist and a diplomat; however, he chose to be remembered as simply, “Benjamin Franklin, Printer.” Ironically, his success as a printer and writer have been comparatively overlooked aspects of his life, until now.
Opening on December 12, 2007, Benjamin Franklin, Writer and Printer, takes a fresh, even surprising look at Franklin’s dual relationship to the book as printer and author. The exhibition, originally conceived as the centerpiece of the Library Company of Philadelphia’s 275th Anniversary celebration in 2006, is curated by Librarian James Green and University of Pennsylvania English Professor Peter Stallybrass.
Incorporating more than eighty artifacts, the exhibition is divided into three main sections, the first focusing on Franklin’s career as a printer, the next on his writing, and the final section devoted to his Autobiography, an international best-seller and the most widely-published autobiography of all time.
The exhibition will also feature rare artifacts not seen in the Philadelphia exhibit such as Franklin’s edition of Samuel Richardson’ Pamela, which is the only know copy of the book and first novel published in America. In addition, Stephen Elmer’s oil portrait representation of Franklin, known as “The Politician,” painted in 1780 will be on display thanks to Stuart Karu, the pre-eminent collector of Frankliniana.
Franklin’s career as a printer began at an early age as an apprentice to his brother in Boston; he took this trade with him when he ran away to Philadelphia at the age of 17 and continued to prosper at it until his retirement at age 42. The exhibition first takes visitors through Franklin’s career as a printer,
during which he made a living producing newspapers, almanacs, pamphlets, broadsides, laws, government printing, blank forms, lottery tickets, and almost everything but books.
On display will be the Library Company’s preeminent collection of Franklin imprints as well as examples of the entire range of his output, from ephemera to massive folio tomes. Franklin’s first appearance in print in Philadelphia can be seen in this section.
The second section of the exhibition highlights Franklin’s early writing, a pursuit to which he was drawn as a result of his printing career. Franklin employed just about every genre and mode of authorship, using an amazing variety of masks to cloak his true identity from his readers. A pivotal point in the exhibition is a case study of when Franklin suddenly put his press and pen to the service of a political cause. Franklin’s life as public printer came to an end when he became involved in a campaign to raise money for a citizen militia in Pennsylvania. At this point, he could no longer be a neutral newspaper editor, and he retired from the printing industry shortly thereafter. Here, visitors can see the only known copy of the earliest broadside edition of Franklin’s most popular work, The Way to Wealth.
The final section of the exhibition focuses on Franklin’s Autobiography, the work that transformed Benjamin Franklin, Printer, into Benjamin Franklin, Author – the most famous American writer of the nineteenth century. The Autobiography was an international best-seller, the greatest literary achievement of the American eighteenth century, yet ironically it was first published in a bizarre assortment of paraphrases and translations, and it was not available in book form as he wrote it until long after his death. One interesting artifact displayed in this section will be the printer’s copy of the first publication of all four parts of the Autobiography.
“The original exhibition commemorated the Library Company’s 275th anniversary year and we received such a positive response that we felt compelled to create a bigger and better exhibition in 2007. The exhibition presents an in-depth look at Franklin’s career as a printer and writer with two extraordinary additions,” says Jim Green, Librarian and curator of Benjamin Franklin, Writer and Printer. “Through the exhibition, we hope to provide the public with an intimate look at Benjamin
Franklin, Printer and come away with a greater appreciation for the impact Franklin’s career as a printer and writer has on our everyday lives.”
Benjamin Franklin, Writer and Printer is open free of charge and in the ground floor gallery of the Grolier Club on 47 East 60th Street. The hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibition runs through February 2, 2008.
About The Library Company of Philadelphia:
The Library Company of Philadelphia, founding in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin, is an independent research library encompassing over half a million rare books, prints, and photographs documenting every aspect of American history and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries. It is a research center serving a national and international constituency of scholars and presents exhibitions and programs for the public. The Library Company can be found online at www.librarycompany.org.
For Further information, visit the Grolier Club website at www.grolierclub.org or call 212-838-6690.
Megan Smith
Exhibitions Coordinator
The Grolier Club
47 E. 60th Street
New York, NY 10022
Tel: 212-838-6690
Fax: 212-838-2445
e-mail: msmith <at> grolierclub.org
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