The Bitter Draught of Slavery by Ernest Normand - Literature review Example

The Bitter Draught of Slavery by Ernest Normand Introduction Painting is one of the oldest from of art that still exists today. Over the years, paintings have been used to convey different messages. Analysis of paintings is crucial to understanding the basic meanings and messages that the painter intended to communicate. Ernest Normand is one of the notable painters of the 19th Century. One of his works, The bitter draught of slavery is among the prominent paintings that have been studied over time. The painting will be analyzed using both analytical and descriptive techniques, in order to better understand its importance. The paper will also place the painting in the political, historical, social and economic context as per the time it was painted. The analysis is aimed at understanding the painting, getting the meaning intended by the painter and understanding the purpose of the painting. The bitter draught of slavery by Normand Ernest The bitter draught of slavery painting is a painting by Ernest Normand painted in 1885. The painting’s medium is oil on canvas. Ernest Normand (1859-1923) was a famous British painter who lived in Victorian England. Normand’s main works were historical and specialist in nature and the painter was influenced largely by the Pre-Raphaelites. Normand was married to Henrietta Rae, a painter and together they undertook many works. The family received support from Lord Leighton and their circle of friends (Tanos, 2014). The Normands had a studio in London where they were based. Normand and wife were criticized for their tendency to expose nudity in the paintings. Other well-known paintings by Normand include the wall painting at the Royal Exchange in London depicting King John granting the Magna Carta (Gaze 2013, pp. 118-120). Normand’s paintings and portraits show a strong influence from the Pre-Raphaelites. Pre-Raphaelites consisted of a group of critics, poets and painters of English origin, who lived during the early 19th century. The artists shared a common goal of rejecting the technical approach used by strict artists, who came after Michelangelo and Raphael. The artists wanted to create a link between art and romantic poetry of that time. This link explains the sensuality of most of Normand’s paintings (Odalisques, 2012). The painters of this era, therefore, viewed the usual poses and graceful compositions of Raphael paint jobs as a major demeaning factor. The group also wanted to distance themselves from the English Royal Academy of Arts (ERAA), as well as, from the influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was the academy’s founder. However, the group laid emphasis on individual creation. The group placed emphasis on the use of extreme colors, detailed paintings and many-sided compositions, all aimed at imitating Italian art works (Hilton 1970, pp.29-34). Analysis of the painting The bitter draught of slavery painting shows two nobles of Arab origin in a comfortable pose staring at a nude white lady. The painting also captures a man of black complexion who seems to take the robe off the girl. The two nobles seem to be in a discussion about the nude lady. Another figure that seems to represent a woman walking away can be seen at a distance behind the nude girl. The woman seems to supposedly be walking away from the presence of the two nobles. From the structure of the painting, the man with the black complexion and the nude lady represent the slaves used by the nobles and other slave owners to amuse themselves. The nude lady seems frightened, which indicates that she has been forced to appear before the men. Normand may have used the stage fright and crouching of the nude lady to represent lack of choice and animosity that slaves felt when forced to stand naked in front of their masters. The nobles’ discussion seems to center on the girl. The other woman figure walking away also seems to have faced a horrible fate. The hand on the head is a pointer to what she might have experienced at the hands of her owners. The lady also appears nude although she is scantily dressed (Charnon-Deutsch 2000, p.207). The wealth of the nobles is depicted by the surroundings of the painting. The strong use of color, detailed figures and sensual nature of the painting reflects a strong fondness for Pre-Raphaelites painting methods. Further, the painting reflects a real life scenario although the situation seems unreal in the painting. Normand’s painting captures a scene that shows the real picture and life experience of many slaves at the hands of their owners. On the other hand, the composition and the placement of the figures in the painting show the fate of many slaves. The figure of the black man represents the unlucky fate of black Africans that were shipped hundreds of miles to various parts of the world as slaves. Yet it is the description of the three figures; the black man and the two ladies that catch the attention and bring the mood of the painting. Lack of personal choice, liberty and suppression are key themes of the painting. The luxurious nature of the lives of nobles, which largely depended on the exploitation of slaves’ hard work, takes the centre stage (Charnon-Deutsch 2000, p.207). Although the influence of Pre-Raphaelites cannot be ruled out in Normand’s painting, the nude depiction of the three figures has been used to show the reality. The reality represented in the painting is the inhuman life led by slaves and their mistreatment at the hands of the masters. The painting brings out the mood of hopelessness and captivity. The placement of different characters in this painting shows a people living in luxury yet bound by forces beyond their comprehension. Although, the real motive of the painting may be hidden, it is partly evident that Normand may have indirectly used the work to show how people used to suffer in Victorian England (Smith 1996, pp. 168-172). Normand may also have used the painting to express a situation that bound him, artists or the people just like slaves were bound to their unlucky fate by their owners. The sense of hopelessness in the painting shows the force behind the situation. The descriptive and analytical techniques provide a clear way of understanding the motives behind the painting. It is not difficult to be overwhelmed by the attractiveness of the painting and its hidden meaning, as per the influencing factors behind many of Normand’s paintings. However, the techniques provide a way round the influence (Rainey 2011, pp. 79-82). By the time of the painting, slave trade had been abolished. However, many people especially blacks remained without liberty in countries like England and the U.S. The painting carries with it a desperate situation for the enslaved. Normand’s title to the painting draws attention not only to the bitter past of enslaved people, but also portrays the political environment that existed during the time. The painting shows an ugly political scene characterized by oppression, denial of individual rights and use of individual powers to oppose the choice of others. It is apparent from the painting that individual freedom was threatened, particularly in the case of people who had no political power. It is a fact that Victorian England, at the time of the painting represented a society divided along political lines (Prettejohn 1999, p. 249). The nobles as shown in the painting, by the two men of Arab descent, were the major political force that controlled the lives of other citizens. Normand may have painted the picture to reflect the influence that powerful people had on the way others lived (Charnon-Deutsch 2000, p.207). The painting shows different social positions of the people included in the painting. It is apparent that different people in Victorian England occupied different social classes. The major defining aspect in the era of the painting was the social status enjoyed by different individuals. The division of people into social classes formed a major gap between people in society. Perhaps, the painting was a reflection of the suffering that people of low social status suffered under the control of the individuals in higher social ranks. In the shown setting, it is apparent that slaves belonged to the low social ranks and were at the mercies of their owners. Normand explores the theme of social inequality, by showing a big difference between the nobles and the three slaves in the painting (Charnon-Deutsch 2000, p.209). The bitter draught of slavery painting provides a deep look into the economic status of the different people in the drawing. It is obvious that the nobles represented by the two men discussing the nude lady enjoyed enormous wealth and luxury. This gave them the power and ability to own slaves and also acquire excessive power over the slaves’ lives including their basic freedom. With economic power came political power and higher social status. In the painting, Normand clearly differentiates these two classes of people; the slaves and nobles along economic lines. By showing the nobles as people enjoying a luxurious life, and slaves as people who could not even afford clothing, Normand successfully shows the difference between the two. Either way, the economic status of different people in Victorian England may have been a major influencing factor of the painting. Perhaps, Normand tries to bring out the gap between painters and the wealthy people who sponsored their works. It is also common understanding that despite the work of the artists, most of them remained poor due to oppression by the wealthy. As mentioned, Normand’s artworks were highly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites. This is manifested in majority of the artist’s paintings, which show figures of nude women painted in details and using intense colors. The bitter draught of slavery painting is no exception. It portrays nude women figures as a major recurring theme. Although, it is clear that Normand was not just reflecting on the nudity as the major theme, most of the paintings show sensuality. Conclusion The bitter draught of slavery painting is one of the major paintings by Ernest Normand. Normand’s representation of the real life of slaves in the hands of their masters, irrespective of the abolishment of slavery by that time, creates a captivating effect. The painting sends deep meaning hidden behind the aura of wealth and nudity of the figures. The painting also shows the influence of Pre-Raphaelites arts because of its sensuality, detailed figures and the intense use of colors. The use of analytical and descriptive methods to examine the painting provide a rich ground for understanding the painting as a conclusion of influence from political, social-economic and artistic influences. Bibliography Charnon-Deutsch, L. 2000. Fictions of the feminine in the Nineteenth-century press. Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Press. Gaze, D. 2013. Concise dictionary of women artists. London: Routledge. Hilton, T. 1970. The Pre-Raphaelites. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Prettejohn, E. 1999. After the Pre-Raphaelites. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Rainey, D. 2011. Analytical techniques in the analysis of rock art. Totem: The University Of Western Ontario Journal Of Anthropology, 9(1), pp.78-89. Smith, A. 1996. The Victorian nude: Sexuality, morality and art. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Tanos. 2014. Slave Markets: Paintings and Drawings. [Online]. Available at [Accessed 27 February 27, 2014]. Odalisques. 2012. "The bitter draught of slavery" by Ernest Normand. [Online]. Available at [Accessed 27 February 27, 2014]. Read More