Franklin's Suit

Franklin, Benjamin · 1778

This three-piece silk suit, originally a dark plum color that has faded to a brownish hue, consists of a coat, waistcoat, and breeches. It belonged to a Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, and is thought to have been made in France around 1778, the year the Treaty of Alliance between the United States and France was signed. Franklin, the American Minister to France from 1776 until 1785, was a key figure in Franco-American politics and often present at the court of King Louis XVI. This plain suit would have created a stark visual contrast between Franklin and those in the elaborate dress commonplace for the opulent French Court.