Portrait Bust of an African
Entry ID
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27 (10/01/2022)
Formal title of the work
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Portrait Bust of an African
Description of the sculpture
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Head of a young individual wearing earrings and a headdress decorated with geometric designs and trimmed with feathers.
URLs where this is recorded/available
Type of object
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Head
Base
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Base present - appears to be the original base
Dimensions
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Height: 45 cm
Materials
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Clay kiln fired (Terracotta)
Specific techniques used
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Modelling
Overall colour
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Monochrome – other
Does the Black person have a specific identity?
-
Anonymous: specific individual but not currently identifiable
Role within sculpture
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Main protagonist
Gender
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Uncertain
Age
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Adolescent
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Adult
Status
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Free citizen
Clothing
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Wearing clothes – indigenous clothing
Evidence of enslavement
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None
Evidence of 'exotic' status
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Earrings (often a single pearl)
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‘Exotic’ costume/dress
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Feathers
Action or activity
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Not relevant (head)
Emotional state
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Neutral/emotionless
Focus of gaze of Black person
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Looking downwards
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Eyes half-shut
Sculptural context
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No location included/implied
Sculptor
Period of production
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Twentieth century (1900-1999)
Date of Production
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1936
Date inferred from
-
Recorded in related documentation
Original purpose
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Decorative
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Didactic / Propagandistic
Original display setting
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Unknown
Current owner
Current / most recently known location
Accession number
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15.7.54/2
Provenance history
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Unknown
Notes
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Gifted to the Horniman Museum
Associated with
Current rights holder
License terms for reuse
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
 Head of a Dancing Girl |
Associated with | E22 Man-Made Object |
http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/48, . (no date) ‘Portrait Bust of an African’, Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 5, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/311
