Black slaves in Europe

During the 17th century, in Europe, the use of black slaves in emblazoned houses was considered to be refined.

Na Europa, durante o séc. XVII, considerava-se requintado o uso de escravos negros nas casas brasonadas.

Anthony van Dick (1599-1647)-'portait of Marchesa Elena Grimaldi'-oil on canvas-ca 1623    Washington-National Gallery of Art

Johannes Mijtens (ca 1614-1670)-'portrait of Maria of Orange (1642-1688) with Hendrik van Zuijlestein (d.1673) as servant-oil on canvas-ca 1665   The Haghue-Maurithuis

Johannes (Jan) Voorhout (1647-1723)-'domestic music scene'-oil on canvas-1674

Nicolas de Largillière (1656-1746)-'Marquise de Noailles and children'-ca 1698

Charles Dauphin ( -1677)-'Christine Marie of France, duchess of Savoy  as Minerva'--ca 1630

Slaves (escravos)

The material evidence of the existence of slaves is present in sculptures of Greek origin which inspired artists of later centuries.

A existência de escravos encontra provas materiais em esculturas de origem grega inspiradoras de artistas de séculos posteriores.

Anonymus (3th century BC)-'Gaul or gladiator dying'-sculpture-roman copy Roma-Musei Capitolini

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)-'dying slave'-sculpture Paris-Musée du Louvre

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564)-'rebellious slave'-sculpture Paris-Musée du Louvre

Hiram Powers (1805-1873)-'the Greek slave'-sculpture New Haven-Yale University Art Gallery

William Dean Kilpatrick (20th century)-'an escaping slave family'-sculpture-1999 New Jersey-Morris Canal Monument

Slaves (Escravos)

There are several forms of slavery, at private and state levels. Throughout the ages, some politicians did not seem interested in solving the problem and they don’t seem interested now either.


Existem várias formas de escravatura, particular e de Estado. Alguns políticos, em todos os tempos, não estiveram nem parecem estar interessados na resolução do problema.

Alfredo Valenzuela Puelma (1856-1909)-'the merchant's pearl'-oil on canvas-1884 Santiago de Chile-Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Ernest Normand (1857-1923)-'the white slave'-oil on canvas-1894

Frederick Goodall (1928- )-'the song of the Nubian slave'-oil on wood-1863 Private collection

Albert Schule (1801-1875)-'slave market in Martinique'-drawing

François Auguste Biard (1799-1882)-'the abolition of the slavery'-1849 Versailles-Musée du Château et des Trianons

Slaves of all times

Gustave Boulanger Roman slave market oil on canvas 1882 private collection

Varro (1st century BC): «I shall now go on to speak of the instruments of agriculture. These are divided by some into two parts, namely (i) men who work, and (2) men's tools without which they cannot work; others divide them into three classes, namely, (i) the class gifted with speech, (2) that which has inarticulate voice, and (3) that which is voiceless. To the first belong 

Marcus Terentius Varro; Rerum rusticarum, I, 17, 1

Varrão (séc. I aC): «Falarei das coisas com as quais cultivamos as propriedades. Há quem as divida em duas partes: homens e instrumentos de trabalho, sem os quais não se pode cultivar. Outros em três partes: instrumentos vocais, semi-vocais e mudos. Os que têm voz são os escravos, os semi-vocais os bois e os mudo os carros».

Marcus Terentius Varro; Rerum rusticarum, I, 17, 1