The Black Figure in Portraiture

"The image of blackness within portraiture has been an ever-changing symbol throughout history. Within my writing, I will explore how portraiture impacts and reflects social perceptions of blackness, exploring what being black symbolises in America through a post-colonial lens and the act of reclaiming black power. I will examine the artistic and cultural responses surrounding the African American experience. Researching the black image, its absence within the white psyche and its role as a social commodity. The reclamation of black power can be seen through artworks such as ‘Beloved’ by Daniel Rosetti (1865) being directly compared to Kehinde Wiley's presidential portrait of Barack Obama (2018). These juxtapositions within the context of black portraiture highlight changing perceptions around blackness and what it symbolises."