• @Diabolo96@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    44
    edit-2
    11 months ago

    Considering the time period, the women ethnicity, and what history tells us about what happened to female slaves, it is what it seems to depict : the rape of a black woman.

    • @Sanctus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      23
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      Also note that the bed sheets become death’s robe below her and a boney hand is visible. The artist probably meant it to be macabre.

    • ivanafterall
      link
      fedilink
      9
      edit-2
      11 months ago

      It’s hard to imagine someone painting this/that expression on her face and finding the subject matter acceptable. Or so I like to think? Maybe I’m naive. But if it’s true, it’s a great example of powerful art confronting viewers. Or I suppose that’s true either way, for better or worse.

      • @GBU_28@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        111 months ago

        I am not abiding this

        They didn’t even see the slave as human. So there’s no dehumanization here, that’s already done! (From the perspective of the artist) This is like someone dressing up their dog in a funny hat and posting that, they see nothing wrong.

        • @Bananigans
          link
          English
          911 months ago

          The fact that the artist portrayed the grim reaper in there seems to (⁠ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ⁠)⁠>⁠⌐⁠■⁠-⁠■ paint a different picture. (⁠⌐⁠■⁠-⁠■⁠)

        • ivanafterall
          link
          fedilink
          -111 months ago

          Yeah, you’re probably right. But I like my version better. The guy second from left sure looks like he’s doing “tickle fingers,” so I just can’t be 100% sure.

          • @Diabolo96@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            English
            311 months ago

            It’s an extremely naive point of view. I am no expert since I only saw a few documentaries and read a few articles but each time it was said that black women rape was very prevalent since it was simply seen as way for breading more slaves. The high society didn’t want white people breeding with with slaves not because it was morally wrong but because they they consider slaves way beneath them. Although It didn’t stop them from renting them to sailors to satisfy their needs.