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Michael
Michael
@mdstamper.bsky.social
10 months ago
This portrait by American artist James Reid Lambdin is of an enslaved woman named Delia. She was the house servant to William Bisland, at Mount Repose, the family's plantation near Natchez, Mississippi. Bisland’s descendant Tom Scarborough shared, “The family narrative I received about this painting is that Delia was the beloved, faithful house servant to the Bisland family at Mount Repose plantation, near Natchez, MS. My Natchez ancestors were deeply involved in the slave economy, owning over 400 human beings spread over nine plantations, from Natchez, to Terrebonne Parish, LA. The story goes that my ancestors thought so highly of Delia and were so appreciative of her devoted service that they commissioned the painting of this portrait. This narrative may, or may not be accurate—the cynic within me whispers that this is just another a variant of the same faithful slave/benevolent slaveowner oral tradition commonly propagated by descendants of slave owning families. I would really like for the story to be true.” She stares directly at us with an expression of inner strength conveying the wisdom that comes with age — blending strength and resilience despite the powerlessness of being human property. Her skin tone is dark and rich, subtly rendered with shades to indicate depth and form. Her attire is striking. She wears a richly colored red jacket. Over this, she has a large, draped pink and white checkered shawl arranged around her shoulders and chest, creating a visual counterpoint to the deep red. The shawl's pattern is clearly defined, with bold pink and white stripes creating a geometric effect. Delia also wears a vibrant and intricately patterned headwrap. The headwrap is multi-colored, encompassing shades of yellow, orange, and brown, with a corded element incorporated into its design. The colors are slightly softened, yet still vibrant. A portion of a wooden chair back is visible to the left of the woman, suggesting a simple, rustic setting.

This portrait by American artist James Reid Lambdin is of an enslaved woman named Delia. She was the house servant to William Bisland, at Mount Repose, the family's plantation near Natchez, Mississippi. Bisland’s descendant Tom Scarborough shared, “The family narrative I received about this painting is that Delia was the beloved, faithful house servant to the Bisland family at Mount Repose plantation, near Natchez, MS. My Natchez ancestors were deeply involved in the slave economy, owning over 400 human beings spread over nine plantations, from Natchez, to Terrebonne Parish, LA. The story goes that my ancestors thought so highly of Delia and were so appreciative of her devoted service that they commissioned the painting of this portrait. This narrative may, or may not be accurate—the cynic within me whispers that this is just another a variant of the same faithful slave/benevolent slaveowner oral tradition commonly propagated by descendants of slave owning families. I would really like for the story to be true.” She stares directly at us with an expression of inner strength conveying the wisdom that comes with age — blending strength and resilience despite the powerlessness of being human property. Her skin tone is dark and rich, subtly rendered with shades to indicate depth and form. Her attire is striking. She wears a richly colored red jacket. Over this, she has a large, draped pink and white checkered shawl arranged around her shoulders and chest, creating a visual counterpoint to the deep red. The shawl's pattern is clearly defined, with bold pink and white stripes creating a geometric effect. Delia also wears a vibrant and intricately patterned headwrap. The headwrap is multi-colored, encompassing shades of yellow, orange, and brown, with a corded element incorporated into its design. The colors are slightly softened, yet still vibrant. A portion of a wooden chair back is visible to the left of the woman, suggesting a simple, rustic setting.

“Delia” by James Reid Lambdin (American) - Oil on canvas / c. 1840-1849 - Mississippi Museum of Art (Jackson) #WomenInArt #art #ArtText #oilpainting #JamesReidLambdin #Lambdin #artwork #MississippiMuseumofArt #womensart #portraitofawoman #AmericanArt #AmericanArtist #slavery #HerStory #NeverForget

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