-
Sculpture of an African Fire-Maker Isn’t as ‘Real’ as You Might Think
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. A native of the African Congo squats before a log, his…
-
How a Beautifully Detailed Map Hides the Horror of a Looming Slave Trade
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. Though crowded with lively detail and a wealth of place names,…
-
Ending Bondage With a Display of Humanity
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. In a lush tropical setting, a large group of nearly naked…
-
Why Coins With a Black Man’s Face Were Valued
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. Struck from a set of hand-engraved dies in an ancient mint,…
-
Is This Black Soldier the Inspiration for The Count of Monte Cristo?
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. Rendered with an economy of means and a penetrating observation of…
-
The Black Saint Who Embodied Christianity for the African Masses
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. This remarkable black saint, whose story of victory and piety begins…
-
In Greek Theater, a Black Mask Plays an Important Role
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. An intriguing artifact from the classical period of ancient Greece attests…
-
Celestial Twins—1 Black, 1 White—Are a Symbol of Harmony
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. A precious fragment from the revival of sculpture in the European…
-
Why These Slave Women in an Asian Setting Were Important to Dutch Trade
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. A fanciful vision of an exotic, remote Asian land brilliantly expands…
-
Why a Black Preacher’s Fiery Sermon at a White Church Received a Lasting Tribute
This image is part of a weekly series that The Root is presenting in conjunction with the Image of the Black in Western Art Archive at Harvard University’s W.E.B. Du Bois Research Institute, part of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. The ornate, lacquered contours of a meticulously painted serving tray highlight…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
