Description:
Polychrome print on glass depicting two female figures representing "Africa" and "America." The figure of Africa stands in front of a hut with thatched roof and wears a feathered headdress, a quiver, and a necklace with a large circular medallion resembling the sun. She holds a spear in her proper left hand and grasps a piece of parchment in her proper right hand that reads "SLAVE / TRADE / abolish'd / 1806." The figure of America wears a feathered headdress, and holds a pike flying the American flag in her proper right hand. She stands in front of a plinth with overlapping profile portraits of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. The lower edge of the print reads, "Published Augt. 20, 1807, by W. B. Walker, 4 Fox & Knot Court, Cow Lane, London." These reverse prints applied to glass were often sold as cheaper imitations of oil paintings.

Tags:
antislavery movements; allegory; flags

Subjects:
Allegory; Flags; Glass; Mezzotint engraving

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2024.11

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.