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The Old Plantation

February 15, 2024

The Old Plantation is an American folk art watercolor probably painted in the late 18th century on a South Carolina plantation.[3][4][5] It is notable for its early date, its credible, non-stereotypical depiction of slaves on the North American mainland, and the fact that the slaves are shown pursuing their own interests. In 2010, Colonial Williamsburg librarian Susan P. Shames identified the artist as South Carolina slaveholder John Rose, and the painting may depict his plantation in what is now Beaufort County.

The Old Plantation
ArtistAttributed to John Rose
Yearpossibly 1785–1795[1]
TypeWatercolor on laid paper[2]
Dimensions29.7 cm × 45.4 cm (11+11⁄16 in × 17+7⁄8 in)
LocationAbby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum[1], Williamsburg, Virginia

Description and interpretation edit

Further information: Stick dance (African-American)

The painting depicts African American slaves between two small outbuildings of a plantation sited on a broad river.[6] It is the only known painting of its era that depicts African Americans by themselves, concerned only with each other,[7] though its central activity remains obscure. Some writers have speculated that the painting depicts a marriage ceremony, with the attendant tradition of "jumping the broom". However, scholars have suggested that the subjects are performing a secular dance: western African dance patterns traditionally include sticks and a variety of body positions. The headdresses pictured are of West African origin.[8]

The painting shows two male musicians, one of whom is playing an early gourd banjo. This is the earliest known painting to picture a banjo.[9] The second musician is playing a percussion instrument that resembles a Yoruba gudugudu.[5][10] The two women hold what look like scarves, but are actually sheguras, rattles made of a gourd enclosed in a net of variable length into which hard objects have been woven.[11]

Artist and provenance edit

For decades the identity of the artist was unknown, as was the painting's provenance before 1935, when it was purchased by Holger Cahill from Mary E. Lyles of Columbia, South Carolina.[12] However, in 2010, Susan P. Shames, a librarian at Colonial Williamsburg, published a book titled The Old Plantation: The Artist Revealed in which she argues that the artist was the South Carolina plantation owner John Rose.[13] Shames further suggests that the image depicts slaves on Rose's plantation in what is now Beaufort County, South Carolina, or one nearby.[14]

In 1775, Rose was named Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in Beaufort District, an appointment implying his educated status and familiarity with governing officials.[15] By 1795, he owned a lot in the town of Beaufort, as well as a rural, 813-acre tract on the Coosaw River in Prince William Parish.[16] He employed slave labor to farm the latter property. At least 50 of these slaves have been identified by name, and he probably owned others.[17] Shames suggests that the slaves and plantation depicted in the image were Rose's own. However, the broad river in the middle ground raises questions about whether Rose owned property on both sides of this natural boundary and, thus, whether he depicted his own dwelling and outbuildings in the background, or a neighbor's.[18] Rose moved to the Dorchester area in present-day Colleton County in 1795, and he died in 1820 in Charleston after a fall from a horse.[19]

In his will, Rose left his watercolor of dancing slaves to his son-in-law, Thomas Davis Stall (1770–1848).[20] According to Shames, it remained in the family for more than a hundred years, until it was finally sold at an auction of the estate of Rose Rowan Ellis Copes (1846–1927) of Orangeburg, South Carolina, probably in 1928 or 1929.[21] It was bought either by an unidentified interim dealer or by Mary Earle Lyles (b. 1878) of Columbia. It was certainly in Lyles' possession by 1935, when it was purchased by Holger Cahill, acting as agent for Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. According to Lyles, however, it was painted on a plantation between Charleston and Orangeburg.[22] A watermark on the paper has been identified as that used by the English papermaker James Whatman II (1741–1798) between 1777 and 1794.[23]

Rockefeller and Cahill transferred the painting to Williamsburg, Virginia, to be part of the Rockefeller collection at the Ludwell-Paradise House.[12] It was later given to Colonial Williamsburg.[24] The painting is currently[when?] held by the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Colonial Williamsburg EMuseum
  2. ^ Mazow 2005, p. 108.
  3. ^ a b Foster 1997, p. 314.
  4. ^ Epstein 1975, p. 354.
  5. ^ a b Epstein 1975, p. 351.
  6. ^ Shames 2010, p. 8
  7. ^ Bontemps 2001, p. 7.
  8. ^ Shames 2010, pp. 11–12
  9. ^ Mazow 2005, p. 23.
  10. ^ Epstein 1963, p. 202.
  11. ^ Shames 2010, p. 12
  12. ^ a b Stillinger 2002, p. 56
  13. ^ Shames 2010, p. 33
  14. ^ Shames 2010, p. 55
  15. ^ Shames 2010, p. 33
  16. ^ Shames 2010, p. 36
  17. ^ Shames 2010, pp. 56–60
  18. ^ Shames 2010, p. 26
  19. ^ Shames 2010, p. 44
  20. ^ Shames 2010, p. 52
  21. ^ Shames 2010, p. 23-32
  22. ^ Shames 2010, p. 21
  23. ^ Shames 2010, p. 26
  24. ^ Shames 2010, p. 21

Works cited edit

  • Colonial Williamsburg, "Old Plantation", EMuseum Online Catalog.
  • Bontemps, Alex (2001), The Punished Self: Surviving Slavery in the Colonial South, Cornell University Press, ISBN 0-8014-3521-8.
  • Epstein, Dena J. (Spring 1963), "Slave Music in the United States before 1860: A Survey of Sources (Part I)", Notes, 2nd series, Music Library Association, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 195–212, doi:10.2307/894726, JSTOR 894726
  • Epstein, Dena J. (September 1975), "The Folk Banjo: A Documentary History", Ethnomusicology, Society for Ethnomusicology, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 347–371, doi:10.2307/850790, JSTOR 850790
  • Foster, Helen Bradley (1997), New Raiments of Self: African American Clothing in the Antebellum South, Berg Publishers, ISBN 1-85973-189-9.
  • Mazow, Leo G. (2005), Picturing the Banjo, Penn State Press, ISBN 0-271-02710-X.
  • Shames, Susan P. (2010), The Old Plantation: The Artist Revealed, Colonial Williamsburg, ISBN 978-0-87935-243-1.
  • Stillinger, Elizabeth (2002), "From Attics, Sheds, and Secondhand Shops: Collecting Folk Art in America, 1880–1940", in Clayton, Virginia Tuttle (ed.), Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design, University of North Carolina Press, pp. 45–60, ISBN 0-89468-295-4, retrieved June 17, 2011

February 15, 2024
plantation, american, folk, watercolor, probably, painted, late, 18th, century, south, carolina, plantation, notable, early, date, credible, stereotypical, depiction, slaves, north, american, mainland, fact, that, slaves, shown, pursuing, their, interests, 201. The Old Plantation is an American folk art watercolor probably painted in the late 18th century on a South Carolina plantation 3 4 5 It is notable for its early date its credible non stereotypical depiction of slaves on the North American mainland and the fact that the slaves are shown pursuing their own interests In 2010 Colonial Williamsburg librarian Susan P Shames identified the artist as South Carolina slaveholder John Rose and the painting may depict his plantation in what is now Beaufort County The Old PlantationArtistAttributed to John RoseYearpossibly 1785 1795 1 TypeWatercolor on laid paper 2 Dimensions29 7 cm 45 4 cm 11 11 16 in 17 7 8 in LocationAbby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum 1 Williamsburg Virginia Contents 1 Description and interpretation 2 Artist and provenance 3 References 4 Works citedDescription and interpretation editFurther information Stick dance African American The painting depicts African American slaves between two small outbuildings of a plantation sited on a broad river 6 It is the only known painting of its era that depicts African Americans by themselves concerned only with each other 7 though its central activity remains obscure Some writers have speculated that the painting depicts a marriage ceremony with the attendant tradition of jumping the broom However scholars have suggested that the subjects are performing a secular dance western African dance patterns traditionally include sticks and a variety of body positions The headdresses pictured are of West African origin 8 The painting shows two male musicians one of whom is playing an early gourd banjo This is the earliest known painting to picture a banjo 9 The second musician is playing a percussion instrument that resembles a Yoruba gudugudu 5 10 The two women hold what look like scarves but are actually sheguras rattles made of a gourd enclosed in a net of variable length into which hard objects have been woven 11 Artist and provenance editFor decades the identity of the artist was unknown as was the painting s provenance before 1935 when it was purchased by Holger Cahill from Mary E Lyles of Columbia South Carolina 12 However in 2010 Susan P Shames a librarian at Colonial Williamsburg published a book titled The Old Plantation The Artist Revealed in which she argues that the artist was the South Carolina plantation owner John Rose 13 Shames further suggests that the image depicts slaves on Rose s plantation in what is now Beaufort County South Carolina or one nearby 14 In 1775 Rose was named Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in Beaufort District an appointment implying his educated status and familiarity with governing officials 15 By 1795 he owned a lot in the town of Beaufort as well as a rural 813 acre tract on the Coosaw River in Prince William Parish 16 He employed slave labor to farm the latter property At least 50 of these slaves have been identified by name and he probably owned others 17 Shames suggests that the slaves and plantation depicted in the image were Rose s own However the broad river in the middle ground raises questions about whether Rose owned property on both sides of this natural boundary and thus whether he depicted his own dwelling and outbuildings in the background or a neighbor s 18 Rose moved to the Dorchester area in present day Colleton County in 1795 and he died in 1820 in Charleston after a fall from a horse 19 In his will Rose left his watercolor of dancing slaves to his son in law Thomas Davis Stall 1770 1848 20 According to Shames it remained in the family for more than a hundred years until it was finally sold at an auction of the estate of Rose Rowan Ellis Copes 1846 1927 of Orangeburg South Carolina probably in 1928 or 1929 21 It was bought either by an unidentified interim dealer or by Mary Earle Lyles b 1878 of Columbia It was certainly in Lyles possession by 1935 when it was purchased by Holger Cahill acting as agent for Abby Aldrich Rockefeller According to Lyles however it was painted on a plantation between Charleston and Orangeburg 22 A watermark on the paper has been identified as that used by the English papermaker James Whatman II 1741 1798 between 1777 and 1794 23 Rockefeller and Cahill transferred the painting to Williamsburg Virginia to be part of the Rockefeller collection at the Ludwell Paradise House 12 It was later given to Colonial Williamsburg 24 The painting is currently when held by the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg 3 References edit a b Colonial Williamsburg EMuseum Mazow 2005 p 108 a b Foster 1997 p 314 Epstein 1975 p 354 a b Epstein 1975 p 351 Shames 2010 p 8 Bontemps 2001 p 7 Shames 2010 pp 11 12 Mazow 2005 p 23 Epstein 1963 p 202 Shames 2010 p 12 a b Stillinger 2002 p 56 Shames 2010 p 33 Shames 2010 p 55 Shames 2010 p 33 Shames 2010 p 36 Shames 2010 pp 56 60 Shames 2010 p 26 Shames 2010 p 44 Shames 2010 p 52 Shames 2010 p 23 32 Shames 2010 p 21 Shames 2010 p 26 Shames 2010 p 21Works cited editColonial Williamsburg Old Plantation EMuseum Online Catalog Bontemps Alex 2001 The Punished Self Surviving Slavery in the Colonial South Cornell University Press ISBN 0 8014 3521 8 Epstein Dena J Spring 1963 Slave Music in the United States before 1860 A Survey of Sources Part I Notes 2nd series Music Library Association vol 20 no 2 pp 195 212 doi 10 2307 894726 JSTOR 894726 Epstein Dena J September 1975 The Folk Banjo A Documentary History Ethnomusicology Society for Ethnomusicology vol 19 no 3 pp 347 371 doi 10 2307 850790 JSTOR 850790 Foster Helen Bradley 1997 New Raiments of Self African American Clothing in the Antebellum South Berg Publishers ISBN 1 85973 189 9 Mazow Leo G 2005 Picturing the Banjo Penn State Press ISBN 0 271 02710 X Shames Susan P 2010 The Old Plantation The Artist Revealed Colonial Williamsburg ISBN 978 0 87935 243 1 Stillinger Elizabeth 2002 From Attics Sheds and Secondhand Shops Collecting Folk Art in America 1880 1940 in Clayton Virginia Tuttle ed Drawing on America s Past Folk Art Modernism and the Index of American Design University of North Carolina Press pp 45 60 ISBN 0 89468 295 4 retrieved June 17 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Old Plantation amp oldid 1192813186, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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