Portrait of Benjamin Franklin Willard, by unknown artists of British school, was painted between 1830 and 1847. The painting is 32 3/4" long x 28 1/2" wide.

Benjamin was born in Boston on November 2, 1803. He added name "Franklin" to his name, according to the court records. In 1837 he married Emily M. Thager. It is believed that this was his wedding portrait, and he was 34 year old, when it was painted. Benjamin Willard died in his prime at 44 yrs-old on March 15, 1847.

The sitter is posed against a burgundy and brown background, body turned slightly to the left, looking straight at the spectator. He is dressed in fashion of the late 1830s, when Romanticism influenced all aspects of society during the first half of the nineteenth century. Willard’s waistcoat was made of a luxurious black fabric with a padded rolled lapel, his white shirt extends into fashionable tall starched collar covering his chin.

Benjamin made astronomical and regular clocks. He also made mechanical, gear driven models of planes and created a patent for revolving lights in the lighthouses.