A Negroes Dance in the Island of Dominica

Date1779

Designed and engraved by Agostino Brunias

MediumHand colored etching and engraving

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1974-171

DescriptionLower margin reads: "A. Brunias Pinx.t et Sculp.t/ A Negroes Dance in the Island of Dominica."
Label TextThe work of London-based Italian painter Agostino Brunias was characterized by his paintings and prints of Black and mixed-race subjects in the Caribbean. His portrayals paint the slave societies of the Caribbean (or as they were known int he period the West Indies) in a flattering and sanitized light, however his portrayals of subjects of African descent are treated with detail and attention that was unusual for this time period. He travelled to the Caribbean in 1770 as the personal painter of Sir William Young who was the Governor of Dominica. During his time in the Caribbean, he made paintings of free people of color, colonists, and slaves, often engaging in leisure activities such as dances or shopping in a market. Brunias marketed his paintings and prints to the British market. These portrayals, obscure the realities of slavery, are important documents of the dress, culture, and lives of free and Black people of the Caribbean.