Unknown artist, Britain

A Black Model

c.1830–40

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

In Tate Britain

Walk Through British Art: 1840

Free entry

Artist: Unknown artist, Britain
Medium: Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions: Support: 1283 x 1016 mm
frame: 1385 x 1135 x 73 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Purchased 1942
Reference: N05386

Display caption

The artist who painted this work is unknown, as is the identity of the young man represented here. The sitter’s luxurious jacket and waistcoat are Albanian, but his turban and loose trousers appear to be Turkish or North-African. The picture follows conventions of portraiture, with its focus on the man’s facial features and high-status dress. The combination of different styles, however, suggests that the figure might be intended to represent a fictional character, rather than a real person. At the time, in portraits like this, black people were often depicted dressed in costume and not named.

Gallery label, November 2018

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.