Tribal Dress

Slavery was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries, and was often depicted in art from that era. The Victorians were very interested in the Far East and often associated anything that was ‘different’ with countries such as Africa and India. Slavery was abolished in the British Empire in 1834. Many former migrants emigrated to Britain following this opportunity to begin a new life of liberty and freedom.

Eugene Von Blaas painted this picture between 1870-1879. However, the clothes of the figures in the painting suggest a much earlier time than this. The setting is late 17th to early 18th century, and is a balcony in Venice during the famous Venetian Carnivale. The guests are enjoying themselves and watching the action from the vantage point of their own private balcony above the merriment that is taking place in the street below. In the background, two African slaves are carrying trays of sweetmeats for the guests to eat. If you look closely, you will see that they have been dressed in servants’ livery. This is nothing like the clothing they would have been used to. Unlike the guests, the two slaves are working, and are wearing clothes that reflect this role. They are ignored by the other people on the balcony and blend into the background almost unseen.

It was common for artists working during the nineteenth century to paint servants and slaves in pictures, particularly if the pictures were meant to show a rich family or group of people. The inclusion of slaves in a picture showed everyone that you were wealthy enough to afford help, and this was further enhanced by the dressing up of slaves in ceremonial livery, as shown in the Von Blaas picture. Black people were depicted as ‘below’ white people in art during this era. Rarely were they shown as people in their own right. Black people were usually depicted as servants. However, this is largely due to the fact that in 19th century Britain, very few blacks were in any kind of position that made them accepted in society. There were black and Asian communities in most of the larger cities, particularly London, but generally blacks and Asians did not mix in high social circles.

Von Blaas has kept certain elements of the slaves’ native dress, such as the earrings and the fact that the two boys are not wearing hats. However, this further serves to separate the two boys from the other people in the painting and from the viewer. The adornment of the body in Africa was one of the ways that cultures interacted with each other. Many different tribes and groups can be recognised by their jewellery and body art. However, here we cannot distinguish the slaves from each other. They are rendered anonymous, with little to separate them apart from the objects they carry.