Colouring the Caribbean: Race and the Art of Agostino Brunias

Colouring the Caribbean explores Agostino Bruniass paintings of colonial West Indians of color, revealing how they reflected and refracted ideas about race held by eighteenth-century Britons, constructing racial categories and exposing their constructedness.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2023
Publisher: Manchester University Press

Colouring the Caribbean presents the first comprehensive exploration of Agostino Bruniass captivating portraits of colonial West Indians of color, often referred to as 'Red and 'Black Caribs, dark-skinned Africans, and Afro-Creoles, as well as individuals of mixed race. These paintings, commissioned by colonial officials and plantocratic elites during the late-eighteenth century, have traditionally been perceived as straightforward visual ethnography serving as field guides for interpreting race. However, this book delves deeper into the intricate ways in which these images both reflected and refracted prevailing ideas about race among eighteenth-century Britons. By examining the paintings in detail, the book sheds light on how they helped shape and construct racial categories while simultaneously revealing their constructed nature and highlighting their inherent contradictions. Through a comprehensive survey of Bruniass artworks, many of which are reproduced here for the first time, the book offers provocative new perspectives on his oeuvre, shedding light on his artistic vision and the societal context in which he worked.

Introduction:
Agostino Bruniass paintings have long been recognized for their role in documenting the visual diversity of colonial West Indies. His portraits of individuals with varying skin tones, ranging from dark-skinned Africans to Afro-Creoles and people of mixed race, offer a unique insight into the complex social and cultural dynamics of the region. However, the traditional interpretation of Bruniass paintings as mere records of visual ethnography has overlooked their deeper significance. This book aims to explore the multifaceted nature of Bruniass images, examining how they both reflected and refracted prevailing ideas about race among eighteenth-century Britons.

Reflection of Ideas about Race:
Bruniass paintings were created during a period when Britain was undergoing significant transformations in its colonial policies and practices. The Enlightenment era, characterized by a growing interest in science, reason, and human equality, had a profound impact on British society. However, these ideals were often challenged by the realities of colonialism, which saw the exploitation and oppression of people of color across the globe. Bruniass paintings, therefore, played a crucial role in shaping how eighteenth-century Britons perceived and understood race.

Through his portraits, Bruniass sought to convey a sense of realism and authenticity to his viewers. He aimed to capture the physical characteristics and cultural practices of the individuals he portrayed, providing a visual representation of the diversity that existed within the colonial West Indies. However, the way in which Bruniass portrayed race was not without its complexities.

On the one hand, his paintings often depicted individuals with darker skin tones as being more primitive or less civilized than those with lighter skin tones. This portrayal reinforced the notion that race was a biological construct, with individuals of different races being inherently different from each other. Bruniass paintings also tended to perpetuate stereotypes and caricatures, such as the idea that Africans were lazy or unintelligent, while Afro-Creoles were considered to be a hybrid of African and European cultures.

On the other hand, Bruniass paintings also challenged these prevailing ideas about race. He depicted individuals with mixed race backgrounds, highlighting the fact that race was not a binary but a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. He also portrayed individuals with darker skin tones as being proud and dignified, challenging the notion that they were inherently inferior or subjugated.

In addition, Bruniass paintings played a role in constructing racial categories and hierarchies within the colonial West Indies. By portraying individuals with different skin tones as belonging to distinct racial groups, Bruniass helped to reinforce the idea that race was a fundamental aspect of identity and that certain groups were superior to others. This construction of race was often used to justify the exploitation and oppression of people of color, as well as to maintain social and economic control over them.

Refraction of Ideas about Race:
While Bruniass paintings reflected and refracted prevailing ideas about race, they also exposed the constructedness and contradictions of these ideas. Bruniass was a skilled artist who used his paintings to convey complex emotions and ideas. He was able to manipulate the visual elements of his portraits to create a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, which encouraged his viewers to engage with the images on a deeper level.

For example, in some of his portraits, Bruniass used lighting and shading techniques to create a sense of depth and dimension, which gave his subjects a more realistic appearance. This technique also created a sense of contrast between the subjects and their surroundings, highlighting their differences and emphasizing their unique identities.

In other portraits, Bruniass used symbolism and metaphor to convey deeper meanings and emotions. For instance, he may have used colors or patterns to represent different cultural or social groups, or he may have used objects or symbols to represent specific ideas or beliefs. These symbolic elements helped to enrich the meaning of the portraits and to create a more nuanced understanding of the individuals portrayed.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, Colouring the Caribbean offers a comprehensive exploration of Agostino Bruniass captivating portraits of colonial West Indians of color. Through a detailed examination of the paintings, the book sheds light on how they both reflected and refracted prevailing ideas about race among eighteenth-century Britons. Bruniass paintings were not mere records of visual ethnography but rather tools that were used to shape and construct racial categories, perpetuate stereotypes, and justify the exploitation and oppression of people of color. However, they also exposed the constructedness and contradictions of these ideas, encouraging viewers to engage with the images on a deeper level and to consider the complex and multifaceted nature of race. By examining Bruniass paintings in this way, we can gain a better understanding of the historical and cultural context in which they were created and the impact they had on shaping the world we live in today.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526174581