Durban (Zulu Warrior)
Entry ID
-
39 (12/01/2022)
Formal title of the work
-
Durban (Zulu Warrior)
Description of the sculpture
-
Figurehead from the ‘Durban’, a 345g 332n tonnage Barque, built by Salisbury of London in 1870. The bearded, half-nude figure is depicted wearing a skirt and headdress decorated with feathers. Around his neck he wears a beaded necklace and he has an earring in his left ear. On his left arm he holds a shield carved with a sun motif. His right arm is missing.
URLs where this is recorded/available
Type of object
-
Statue: Half-length figure (single)
Base
-
No base
Dimensions
-
Height: 30.5 cm
-
Width: 11.4 cm
-
Depth: 7.6 cm
Materials
-
Wood (unidentified)
Specific techniques used
-
Carving
Overall colour
-
Monochrome – brown
Does the Black person have a specific identity?
-
Anonymous: generic/idealised type
Attributes
-
Shield
Role within sculpture
-
Main protagonist
Gender
-
Male
Age
-
Adult
Status
-
Free citizen
Clothing
-
Partially clothed
Evidence of enslavement
-
None
Evidence of 'exotic' status
-
‘Exotic’ costume/dress
-
Feathers
-
Earrings (often a single pearl)
Action or activity
-
Indeterminate
Emotional state
-
Neutral/emotionless
Focus of gaze of Black person
-
Looking upwards
Sculptural context
-
No location included/implied
Sculptor
Place of production
Period of production
-
Nineteenth century (1800-1899)
Date of Production
-
c. 1870
Date inferred from
-
Recorded in related documentation
Commissioned for
Original purpose
-
Decorative
Original display setting
-
Outside: ship figurehead
Current owner
Current / most recently known location
Accession number
-
FHD0118
Provenance history
-
1870: 'The Barque Durban' launched in London and traded between London and Durban until 1886
Notes
-
For more on the Barque 'Durban', see https://passengers.history.sa.gov.au/node/924704
Current rights holder
License terms for reuse
http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/391, . (no date) ‘Durban (Zulu Warrior)’, Black People in European Sculpture, accessed May 5, 2025, http://13.41.147.145/s/database/item/388
