Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky
Benjamin West (American, 1738–1820)
c. 1805
A museum-grade framed canvas from the ValleyRoadArts American Legacy Collection, reproducing Benjamin West's 1805 masterwork Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky. Crafted to bring the Romantic grandeur of one of America's great historical paintings into your home, office, library, or classroom.
Size
8″ x 10″ (Vertical)
Color
Black
The Story
A storm, a kite, and the spark that changed the world
June 1752. During a Philadelphia thunderstorm, Benjamin Franklin stood in a field with his son William, a kite, a key, and an idea that would change the world. Contrary to popular belief, the kite was never struck by lightning — that would almost certainly have killed him. Instead Franklin noticed the loose threads of the kite string repelling one another, deduced that the Leyden jar was being charged, moved his hand near the key, and observed a spark — proving for the first time that lightning and electricity were the same phenomenon.
Benjamin West's magnificent 1805 painting captures that moment with dramatic Romantic power — Franklin depicted as a Prometheus-like figure raising his hand to the stormy heavens, his red cloak billowing in the wind, the spark of discovery illuminating the scene. It is at once a portrait of genius, courage, and the restless American spirit that refuses to accept the world as it is.
Why own it
This is a daily reminder that curiosity is a civic virtue — that the same man who tamed lightning helped found a nation and never stopped asking what was possible. A meaningful gift for the history enthusiast, the science lover, the Founding Father devotee, or anyone inspired by the limitless curiosity of Benjamin Franklin.