"Franklin at Desk" Engine Panel Painting
date: label: date made
content: ca 1830
name: label: referenced
content: Franklin, Benjamin
label: maker
content: Etter, David Rent
notes: label: Description
content: In the nineteenth century, volunteer fire companies often commissioned paintings to decorate their hand-pumped fire engines for parades, competitions, and community events. Sometimes framed with elaborate carvings, they adorned the tall air chamber located at the middle or rear of a pumper. The paintings would often feature patriotic, heroic, or allegorical images to associate the volunteer companies with these lofty ideals.
label: Description
content: This fire engine panel came from the Franklin Engine Company No. 12 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was active as a hand engine company from 1792 until 1863 when it acquired a steam fire engine. It operated as a steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established. The painting “Franklin at Desk” is attributed to David Rent Etter and dates to around 1830. The painting depicts Benjamin Franklin’s dictating his memoirs to his grandson. Benjamin Franklin was well known for organizing the first volunteer fire company in Philadelphia, and his image and his name were popular among the city’s fire companies. By invoking Franklin, volunteer firemen linked themselves to the progenitor of their trade, as well as someone who played a key role in the American Revolution. This painting and its companion piece (object 2005.0233.0018) would have adorned either side of the company’s engine.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: classified
content: Fire Fighting
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Engine Panel Paintings
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Art
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0307
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0307
objectType: label: Object Name
content: painting, engine panel
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: oil paint (image material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 21 1/2 in x 15 in; 54.61 cm x 38.1 cm