How do you get people to look – really look – at an Old Master painting? Peter Brathwaite has now researched and re-imagined more than a hundred paintings of Black subjects, from a 14th century image of Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Mali – to the presidential portrait of Barack Obama. What began as a game is now a book and a museum exhibition called “Rediscovering Black Portraiture.”
Mansa Musa, ca. 1375 Abraham Cresques Spanish, 1325–1387 In Atlas of Maritime Charts (The Catalan Atlas) Illuminated parchment glued to board Each panel: 64.5 × 25 cm (253/8 × 97/8 in.) Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), Ms. Espagnol 30, fol. 3
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
The Adoration of the Magi, ca. 1480–90 Georges Trubert French, active 1467–1499, died before 1508 In a book of hours Tempera, gold leaf, gold and silver paint, and ink 11.4 × 8.6 cm (4 1/2 × 3 3/8 in.) Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, Ms. 48, fol. 59 Digital image courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program.
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
Saint John, ca. 1504–5 Unknown artist In a gospel book (Ethiopian) Tempera, 34.5 × 26.5 cm (13 5/8 × 10 3/8 in.) Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum, Ms. 102, fol. 215v Digital image courtesy of Getty’s Open Content Program.
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
The Paston Treasure, ca. 1665 Unknown artist Oil on canvas 165 × 246.5 cm (65 × 97 in.) England, Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery, Norfolk Museums, 1947.170
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
The African King Caspar, 1654 or 1659 Hendrick Heerschop Dutch, 1620/21–ca. 1672 Oil on canvas 74.8 × 60.5 cm (291/2 × 237/8 in.) Berlin, Gemäldegalerie Image bpk Bildagentur / Gemäldegalerie / Staatliche Museen / Jörg P. Anders / Art Resource, NY
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
The Virgin of Guadalupe, 1745 Unknown artist Spanish Oil on canvas 106 × 84.5 cm (413/4 × 331/4 in.) London, Wellcome Library, 44828i Digital image from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
Ira Aldridge, ca. 1826 After James Northcote British, 1746–1831 Oil on canvas 76.2 × 63.2 cm (30 × 24 7/8 in.) Private collection, on loan to the National Portrait Gallery, London, NPG L251 Digital image from Bridgeman Images
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
Aïcha, 1922 Félix Vallotton Swiss, 1865–1925 Oil on canvas 99.8 × 80.5 cm (39 1/4 × 31 3/4 in.) Private collection Digital image Album / Alamy Stock Photo
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
James Hunter (Black Draftee), 1965 Alice Neel American, 1900–1984 Oil on canvas 60 x 40 inches 152.4 x 101.6 cm © The Estate of Alice Neel Courtesy The Estate of Alice Neel and David Zwirner COMMA Foundation, Belgium
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite
Africa, the Land of Hope and Promise for Negro Peoples of the World, 2020 Bisa Butler American, b. 1973 Cotton, silk, wool, and velvet quilted and appliquéd (detail, early state) 223.5 × 132.1 × 5.1 cm (88 × 52 × 2 in.) Private collection © Bisa Butler
Re-creation by Peter Brathwaite (with photographic partner Sam Baldock) © Peter Brathwaite