The Slave Market is a painting first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1886 by the French artist Gustave Boulanger, who specialized in classical and Orientalist genre scenes.[1] Its title in the Salon catalogue was Un Maquignon d’esclaves à Rome (A Slave Dealer in Rome),[2] but as early as 1888 it was called Vente d’esclaves (Sale of Slaves) in the French press,[3] and in English it has become known as The Slave Market. It is sometimes compared to or confused with various paintings of slave markets in the Arab world and the ancient world by Boulanger's friend and fellow painter Jean-Léon Gérôme.
The painting depicts an Ancient Roman slave auction. It shows the marketing of seven young people, ranging in age from children to young adults, as slaves. Both male slaves, as well as three of the female slaves, bear a similarity in appearance perhaps suggesting that they are members of a family forced into slavery by economic conditions. All are wearing tags to indicate their availability as slaves. The youngest boy is completely naked, while the young man next to him is wearing a loincloth. The young woman sitting next to them is topless, wearing only a skirt, but she is covering her breasts with her legs in a protective pose. The standing African woman is also topless, wearing a white loincloth, and she is covering her breasts with her hands. Her feet are whitened with chalk to show she is a foreign import, unlike the others, and tax has been paid on her.[4] The taller, standing, young woman is wearing a translucent garment which clearly shows her breasts and pubic hair—she is trying to shield her eyes, perhaps because her potential buyers include former friends and neighbors, who are probably seeing her nude for the first time. The adolescent girl next to her is also topless and barefoot, wearing a skirt. The red-haired woman crouching next to them is wearing a loose garment which leaves both her breasts and her genitals exposed. The auctioneer sits eating his lunch with a very casual attitude.The stand is made of wood with a stick tied to a sheet of cloth providing shade. Some of the slaves lean on a white stone wall, on which is written in red "Storax Servorum Mango" - "slave storehouse" in latin. In the left-top coner there is a base of a pillar.
From a common type of Salonacademic art of the period, it depicts an eroticized scene clad as a history painting, as was customary at the time in Paris. Boulanger had visited Italy, Greece, and North Africa, and the painting reflects his attention to culturally correct details and skill in rendering the female form.[5]
Slaves for saleEdit
Gustave Boulanger, Esclaves à vendre, shown at the Paris Salon of 1888; location unknown.
Two years later, in 1888, Boulanger exhibited a painting described as a pendant[6] to The Slave Market, entitled Esclaves à vendre ("Slaves for Sale"). It was to be the last painting exhibited by the artist, who died that same year. It is currently known only from a black and white reproduction, but the art critic Georges Lafenestre noted colors and other details in this description:
Naked girl, standing, almost full-on, leaning against a wooden partition. Her head tilted to the right, her blonde hair loose and falling, she leans her left hand against the planks. She wears, as a belt, a torn flap of black cloth, held in place by a red cord, which falls down her right leg. On her neck hangs a small label on which is written: Virgo gallica honesta corpore, XVIII annum, etc. [The Latin indicates this is a scene from the ancient Roman world, not from the Arab world, as might be thought from the other figure's burnous.] To the right, at the feet of the young girl, squatting on the ground, both hands on his knees, is a Negro wrapped in a striped burnous with a blue background, his head covered with a pink cloth, crowned with myrtle leaves. On the left, on the straw, a jar.[7]
The Slave Market is thought to be in a private collection. The status and location of Esclaves à vendre is unknown.[citation needed]
Javel, Firmin (1888). "Le prochain Salon," L'Art français: revue artistique hebdomadaire, 4 Feb 1888, p 5.
Lafenestre, Georges (1886), Le Livre d'Or de Salon de peinture et de sculpture, Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles, Volume 8, 1886, pp. 31–32.
Lafenestre, Georges (1888), Le Livre d'Or de Salon de peinture et de sculpture, Paris: Librairie des Bibliophiles, Volume 10, 1888, pp. 34.
Masler, Marilyn (2009). "Embracing the Academic Tradition," in Masler, Marilyn and Pacini, Marina (eds.), Carl Gutherz: Poetic Vision and Academic Ideals, Jackson, Tennessee: University Press of Mississippi, pp. 38–39. ISBN978-0-915525-11-9.
Smith, William (1875). "Servus" in A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: John Murray, pp. 1036–1042.
October 18, 2023
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The Slave Market is a painting first exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1886 by the French artist Gustave Boulanger who specialized in classical and Orientalist genre scenes 1 Its title in the Salon catalogue was Un Maquignon d esclaves a Rome A Slave Dealer in Rome 2 but as early as 1888 it was called Vente d esclaves Sale of Slaves in the French press 3 and in English it has become known as The Slave Market It is sometimes compared to or confused with various paintings of slave markets in the Arab world and the ancient world by Boulanger s friend and fellow painter Jean Leon Gerome The Slave MarketArtistGustave BoulangerYear1886MediumOil on canvasDimensions77 5 cm 99 cm 30 5 in 39 in LocationPrivate Collection Contents 1 Description 2 Slaves for sale 3 See also 4 References 5 SourcesDescription EditThe painting depicts an Ancient Roman slave auction It shows the marketing of seven young people ranging in age from children to young adults as slaves Both male slaves as well as three of the female slaves bear a similarity in appearance perhaps suggesting that they are members of a family forced into slavery by economic conditions All are wearing tags to indicate their availability as slaves The youngest boy is completely naked while the young man next to him is wearing a loincloth The young woman sitting next to them is topless wearing only a skirt but she is covering her breasts with her legs in a protective pose The standing African woman is also topless wearing a white loincloth and she is covering her breasts with her hands Her feet are whitened with chalk to show she is a foreign import unlike the others and tax has been paid on her 4 The taller standing young woman is wearing a translucent garment which clearly shows her breasts and pubic hair she is trying to shield her eyes perhaps because her potential buyers include former friends and neighbors who are probably seeing her nude for the first time The adolescent girl next to her is also topless and barefoot wearing a skirt The red haired woman crouching next to them is wearing a loose garment which leaves both her breasts and her genitals exposed The auctioneer sits eating his lunch with a very casual attitude The stand is made of wood with a stick tied to a sheet of cloth providing shade Some of the slaves lean on a white stone wall on which is written in red Storax Servorum Mango slave storehouse in latin In the left top coner there is a base of a pillar From a common type of Salon academic art of the period it depicts an eroticized scene clad as a history painting as was customary at the time in Paris Boulanger had visited Italy Greece and North Africa and the painting reflects his attention to culturally correct details and skill in rendering the female form 5 Slaves for sale Edit nbsp Gustave Boulanger Esclaves a vendre shown at the Paris Salon of 1888 location unknown Two years later in 1888 Boulanger exhibited a painting described as a pendant 6 to The Slave Market entitled Esclaves a vendre Slaves for Sale It was to be the last painting exhibited by the artist who died that same year It is currently known only from a black and white reproduction but the art critic Georges Lafenestre noted colors and other details in this description Naked girl standing almost full on leaning against a wooden partition Her head tilted to the right her blonde hair loose and falling she leans her left hand against the planks She wears as a belt a torn flap of black cloth held in place by a red cord which falls down her right leg On her neck hangs a small label on which is written Virgo gallica honesta corpore XVIII annum etc The Latin indicates this is a scene from the ancient Roman world not from the Arab world as might be thought from the other figure s burnous To the right at the feet of the young girl squatting on the ground both hands on his knees is a Negro wrapped in a striped burnous with a blue background his head covered with a pink cloth crowned with myrtle leaves On the left on the straw a jar 7 The Slave Market is thought to be in a private collection The status and location of Esclaves a vendre is unknown citation needed See also EditThe Slave Market Gerome painting Slavery in ancient RomeReferences Edit Masler 2009 p 39 Lafenestre 1886 p 31 Javel 1888 p 5 Smith 1875 p 1040 Masler 2009 pp 38 39 Javel 1888 p 5 Lafenestre 1888 p 34 Sources EditJavel Firmin 1888 Le prochain Salon L Art francais revue artistique hebdomadaire 4 Feb 1888 p 5 Lafenestre Georges 1886 Le Livre d Or de Salon de peinture et de sculpture Paris Librairie des Bibliophiles Volume 8 1886 pp 31 32 Lafenestre Georges 1888 Le Livre d Or de Salon de peinture et de sculpture Paris Librairie des Bibliophiles Volume 10 1888 pp 34 Masler Marilyn 2009 Embracing the Academic Tradition in Masler Marilyn and Pacini Marina eds Carl Gutherz Poetic Vision and Academic Ideals Jackson Tennessee University Press of Mississippi pp 38 39 ISBN 978 0 915525 11 9 Smith William 1875 Servus in A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities London John Murray pp 1036 1042 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Slave Market Boulanger amp oldid 1175030488, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
