Creole: Portraits of France's Foreign Relations During the Long Nineteenth Century

This book explores the complex and multifaceted nature of "Creole" identity, examining how it was shaped by geography, race, language, and social status in French colonies during the 19th century. It reconstructs the search for visual signs of racial difference among individuals whose genealogies were often repressed and examines French representations of Creole subjects and representations by Creole artists in France, the Caribbean, and the Americas. By interrogating the myriad ways in which people defined themselves in relation to others, the book offers a fresh perspective on colonial identity and will be of interest to specialists in nineteenth-century art history, French cultural history, the history of race, and transatlantic history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2022
Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press

This book delves into the intricate and profound indeterminacy of the term "Creole," which was applied to white, black, and mixed-race individuals born in French colonies during the nineteenth century. The concept of "Creole" suggests that one's geographical birthplace holds greater significance in determining their identity than factors such as race, language, nationality, and social status. Interestingly, the broadness of this term paradoxically led to a persistent search for visual cues that distinguished individuals based on their racial backgrounds, as well as a deliberate disregard for the intermingling of races within Creole societies.

Darcy Grimaldo Grigsby, in her reconstruction, explores the quest for visual signs of racial difference among individuals whose genealogies were often repressed. She examines French representations of Creole subjects and Creole artists' depictions in France, the Caribbean, and the Americas. Grigsby's analysis goes beyond a mere surface-level examination, delving into the diverse ways in which individuals defined themselves in relation to others. With a keen eye for the distinctions between Afro-Creole and Euro-Creole cultures and individuals, she analyzes figures such as Théodore Chassériau, Guillaume Guillon-Lethière, Alexandre Dumas père, Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas, models Joseph and Laure, Josephine Bonaparte, Jeanne Duval, and Adah Isaacs Menken.

Creole is a groundbreaking work that relies on extensive archival research to provide a comprehensive examination of colonial identity. It will appeal to scholars specializing in nineteenth-century art history, French cultural history, the history of race, and transatlantic history, in general. This book offers valuable insights into the complexities of identity formation during the colonial era and sheds light on the enduring legacies of Creole culture.

Weight: 1830g
Dimension: 241 x 264 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780271091549