Focus on this artwork and explain the abstract.
The outdoor statue of Benjamin Franklin in Washington, D.C., is located near the intersection of 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of the Old Post Office. The statue was a gift from Stilson Hutchins, founder of The Washington Post, who wanted to display his and the newspaper's stature in the city. The designer, Ernst Plassmann, and sculptor, Jacques Jouvenal, were both German-American artists. The architect of the memorial was J. F. Manning.
The statue was unveiled in 1889 after several years of bureaucratic red tape. There was no public celebration at the dedication, due to Hutchins' desire for the event to be small and intimate. The statue was originally sited at the intersection of 10th Street, D Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. During the 1960s and 1970s, a lot of changes were made to Pennsylvania Avenue, including relocating the statue. The site chosen, in front of the Old Post Office, was because Franklin, in addition to being a statesman, diplomat, and a Founding Father, served as the country's first Postmaster General. 
The statue is one of 14 American Revolution statues in Washington, D.C., that were collectively listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The statue is also a contributing property to the Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site and the L'Enfant Plan, both listed on the NRHP. The statue is made of Carrara marble and the pedestal is Quincy granite. There are several inscriptions on the statue and pedestal, and a multi-colored brick inlay surrounding it.
Jacques Jouvenal National Register of Historic Places red tape L'Enfant Plan Carrara marble The Washington Post Washington, D.C. Founding Father Old Post Office Benjamin Franklin Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site Pennsylvania Avenue American Revolution Ernst Plassmann Postmaster General NW Stilson Hutchins 14 American Revolution statues contributing property