Finding Freedom Across Two Centuries: Artwork of the Amistad

How does artwork shape historical memory? The story of the Amistad Africans, one of the few successful slave ship mutinies in American history, which led to a trial at the U.S. Supreme Court, was the subject of multiple works of art, including prints, paintings, quilts, and monuments. The subject is iconic in American art history. How was the character of Cinque of the Amistad developed for white abolitionist audiences? In what ways could a painting owned by a Black Philadelphian travel over an ocean to influence freedom around the world for centuries to come? Sharpen your skills in visually analyzing works of art through this brief survey of artwork of the Amistad.