Slave Trade

This print is based on George Morland’s painting depicting an African family being captured and separated by European sailors compelling them to lives of slavery. Produced at a time in 1791 when the anti-slavery movement was at it s height it was designed to produce a strong response from the viewer. Below the print is inscribed, ‘Lo! The Poor Captive with distraction wild / Views his dear Patrtner torn from his embrace/A diff’rent captain buys his /Wife and Child/ What time can from his soul such ills erase/’. It had a companion work called ’African Hospitality’.

The scenes are imaginary, produced from descriptions circulating in contemporary newspapers and pamphlets, so the composition looks very similar to other paintings of English landscape by Morland. Although Morland’s work was generally very popular due to its often sentimental and nostalgic view of life in the countryside, these two paintings of slavery were not well received.