Figure of an Enslaved African Man
This tortured figure of an enslaved African man derives from Pietro Tacca’s sixteenth-century monument known as the "Four Moors" (I Quattro Mori), in Livorno, which commemorated Medici triumphs over the Ottomans in the late sixteenth century. The sculptor’s sympathetic portrayal of four galley slaves at the base of the pedestal mesmerized viewers after its completion around 1626, even after the Medici lost power over the port city. Smaller figures were subsequently adapted and transformed into bronze and porcelain versions, including examples by Doccia. This piece, possibly made after a model by Giuseppe Piamontini at the end of the eighteenth century, is clearly inspired by Tacca. Far removed from the triumphalist rhetoric of the original monument in Livorno, this arresting porcelain figure foregrounds the physical horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, as the extraordinary human cost of bringing luxury commodities and pleasures to Europe became increasingly visible with the establishment of the abolitionist movement.
Artwork Details
- Title: Figure of an Enslaved African Man
- Artist: Possibly after a model by Giuseppe Piamontini (Italian, 1664–1742)
- Maker: Doccia Porcelain Manufactory (Italian, 1737–1896)
- Date: late 18th century
- Culture: Italian, Doccia
- Medium: Hard-paste porcelain
- Dimensions: confirmed: 9 5/8 × 4 1/4 × 4 1/2 in. (24.4 × 10.8 × 11.4 cm)
- Classification: Ceramics-Porcelain
- Credit Line: Purchase, Larry and Ann Burns Gift, in honor of Austin B. Chinn, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.138
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Giovanni Battista Foggini
ca. 1680–82
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1745–50
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1745
Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory
Karl Gottlieb von Lück
ca. 1770
Johann Gottlieb Kirchner
Meissen Manufactory
ca. 1732
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.