This article is dedicated to the revealing the evidence for the set of the questions and assumptions regarding the possible interpretation of the Anne-Louis Girodet’s Portrait of Citizen Belley (former slave, who have reached the enormous success – being elected as the representative of Saint Domingue after joining the ranks of the French army and becoming mature and self-sufficient individual after gaining such experience).
Thesis
Blacks were denigrated as a race, regardless their rights for equality and liberty because of the negative social trends, inherent to the timeframe of late 18th century.
Evidence:
In this article, the following line of interpretation is preferred by the author - the major focus is put on the racial prejudice, while referring to both moral and aesthetic conventions, inherent to the timeframe of the second part of the 18th century.
For supporting the authorial statement with the evidence, Helen D. Weston (1994) has referred to the work of philosophers and taxonomists – Girodet’s contemporaries, who might have influenced the author of the painting. It is claimed by the author that there was common idea among the cultural elite of those times – observation of the racial distinctions and differences and representation of these observations in different forms – works of art, speeches etc.
For supporting the major statement of the article, the set of other contemporary paintings is used by Helen D. Weston in the line of argumentation. For instance, anonymous Liberty in the Colonies; Pierre Gobert (attr.). Wo man Washing the Face of a Black Pageboy; Isaac Cruickshank, Labour in Vain—or, Old Women Trying to Wash a Blackamore White.
Information:
The major thesis, which may be derived from this reading is the following - regardless perception of the racial inequality by Belley, as well as the mass violations of the human rights, it is critically essential to remember the attitude of those individuals, living in the late 18th century, who have not considered the men of color as the intelligent ones, capable to write speeches, participate in social life and change it for better.
Response:
This article should be perceived as the important lesson for the current and future generations of people, who should consider each particular individual in terms of one’s abilities: mental, physical and spiritual abilities rather than classify people in accordance with their race, gender or other minor features. This statement was supported by the author with the set of evident examples, works, of at and specific historical information, supporting the discussed subject.
Works Cited
Weston, H.D. Representing the right to represent: The Portrait of Citizen Belley, ex- representative of the colonies by A.-L Girodet. RES 26 autumn 1994, p. 83-99
