John Philip Simpson
February is Black History Month, so we want to start it with this moving painting. But before we begin, a bit of explanation ... We want to feature more art created by black artists but we are limited to works without copyrights, meaning most 20th-century works are out of reach. Anyway, as you will see this month in DailyArt and DailyArt Magazine, we will try to do our best. : )
This moving portrayal of the enslaved man was painted by John Philip Simpson in England, at the height of the British abolition campaign to end slavery in the British Empire. We see the powerful sense of the man's dignity and intelligence and unmistakable condemnation of his situation. Our attention is caught by the heavy shackles around the man's wrists, we are also drawn to the expression of his face (emphasized by the light from the window) that suggests his profound sadness. The painting was exhibited publicly in London where it attracted much attention. It was modeled by Ira Aldridge, a free-born African American from New York, who became a celebrated Shakespearian actor on the London stage.
P.S. Here is a nice overview of many exquisite artworks created by black artists in the last few decades; please have a look! Here you can get to know more about the groundbreaking Slavery exhibition at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.