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This is a Daguerreotype/photograph of a slave named Renty from the plantation of B.F. Taylor of Columbia, SC. Daguerreotype taken byJ.T. Zealy in March 1850

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This image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because this image was taken of a slave in Luis Agassiz’s study on southern plantations. The point of his research was to prove that European bodies were anatomically different than African bodies. The participants of this study never gave consent, and the study was ethically wrong on many levels. There is so much meaning behind this artwork because it not only shows the physical trauma and abuse slaves endured but also shows how they were seen as objects, not as humans. This artwork doesn’t specifically inform the history of the black female body, but definitely does for the black body by showing how we were only seen as property based on the value our body could provide.

Wallis, Brian. “Black bodies, White Science: The slave daguerreotypes of Louis Agassiz.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, no. 12, Mar. 1996, p. 102, https://doi.org/10.2307/2963000.

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Sarah Baartman sculpture by Willie Bester at the Ritchie Gallery. A life-size sculpture made of metal acquired in 2000. 

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This sculpture connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is of Sarah Bartmaan. She was an enslaved woman whose body was also objectified and put on display for the purposes of research, curiosity, and science without her proper consent. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how Black female bodies for centuries have been objectified and seen as something to explore and objectify. We were never given the dignity and respect to be seen as humans, especially during this time when Black women were seen as property used for labor and reproduction. All of this and more informs the sad history of Black women and how it has been documented in visual arts.

Parkinson, Justin. “The Significance of Sarah Baartman.” BBC News, BBC, 7 Jan. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35240987.

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This is a Daguerreotype/photograph from the plantation of BF Taylor of Columbia, SC for the Louis Agassiz Study. Daguerreotype taken byJ.T. Zealy in March 1850

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This image also connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because this image was taken of a slave in Luis Agassiz’s study on southern plantations. The point of his research was to prove that European bodies were anatomically different than African bodies. The participants of this study never gave consent, and the study was ethically wrong on many levels. There is so much meaning behind this artwork because it not only shows the physical trauma and abuse slaves endured but also shows how they were seen as objects, not as humans. This artwork doesn’t specifically inform the history of the black female body, but definitely does for the black body by showing how we were only seen as property based on the value our body could provide.

Wallis, Brian. “Black bodies, White Science: The slave daguerreotypes of Louis Agassiz.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, no. 12, Mar. 1996, p. 102, https://doi.org/10.2307/2963000.

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This is a Daguerreotype/photograph from the plantation of BF Taylor of Columbia, SC for the Louis Agassiz Study. Daguerreotype taken byJ.T. Zealy in March 1850

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This image also connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because this image was taken of a slave in Luis Agassiz’s study on southern plantations. The point of his research was to prove that European bodies were anatomically different than African bodies. The participants of this study never gave consent, and the study was ethically wrong on many levels. There is so much meaning behind this artwork because it not only shows the physical trauma and abuse slaves endured but also shows how they were seen as objects, not as humans. In contrast to the other images of this study, this artwork specifically informs the history of the black female body by showing how we were only seen as property as well, but based on the value our body could provide by continuing to produce generations of bodies they saw as objects.

Wallis, Brian. “Black bodies, White Science: The slave daguerreotypes of Louis Agassiz.” The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, no. 12, Mar. 1996, p. 102, https://doi.org/10.2307/2963000.

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An engraved print/satirical print made of paper that is titled The Three Graces made by William Heath on November 13, 1810. 241 mm x 327 mm

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Similar to the sculpture, this image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is of Sarah Bartmaan. She was an enslaved woman whose body was also objectified and put on display for the purposes of research, curiosity, and science without her proper consent. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how Black female bodies for centuries have been objectified and seen as something to explore and objectify. This specific artwork also shows how we have been constantly ridiculed and compared to white women and how this comparison has consistently been extremely harmful. We were never given the dignity and respect to be seen as humans, especially during this time when Black women were seen as property used for labor and reproduction. All of this and more informs the sad history of Black women and how it has been documented in visual arts.

“Print; Satirical Print: British Museum.” The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1851-0308-348. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

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An print/satirical print made of paper that is titled A Pair of Broad Bottoms made by William Heath on November 13, 1810. 350 mm x 250 mm

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Similar to the other artwork, this image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is of Sarah Bartmaan. She was an enslaved woman whose body was also objectified and put on display for the purposes of research, curiosity, and science without her proper consent. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how Black female bodies for centuries have been objectified and seen as something to explore and objectify. This specific artwork also shows the predatory and dangerous role that white men have played in this abuse. Furthermore, the expression and almost humorous expression in this artwork show how our struggle was never seen as legitimate. We were never given the dignity and respect to be seen as humans, especially during this time when Black women were seen as property used for labor and reproduction. All of this and more informs the sad history of Black women and how it has been documented in visual arts.

“Print; Satirical Print: British Museum.” The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-7599. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

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This is a photograph of a participant in the Tuskegee Study in the 1930s taken from the National Archives by the USPHS. 

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This image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is a prime example of how black bodies were used strictly for experimentation and research without proper consent and acknowledgment. This image is of a participant in the Tuskegee Study in Alabama who was clearly infected but unknowingly never given treatment. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how disease can devastate our bodies, and we will still be used as props and for experimentation. The morality and ethics that are supposed to be the foundation of medicine have consistently been absent when it comes to our bodies. This artwork doesn’t specifically inform the history of the black female body, but definitely does for the black male body by showing how we were only seen as test dummies for experimentation and further research.

Elliott, Debbie. “In Tuskegee, Painful History Shadows Efforts to Vaccinate African Americans.” NPR, NPR, 16 Feb. 2021, www.npr.org/2021/02/16/967011614/in-tuskegee-painful-history-shadows-efforts-to-vaccinate-african-americans.

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A portrait/painting in The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery of Henrietta Lacks painted in 2017 by Kadir Nelson. 

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This image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is a portrait of Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta Lacks was a female cancer patient whose cells were collected and incubated for decades for research without her consent. She was never compensated or consented, even though her cells have been used to make groundbreaking discoveries in the cancer world. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how black bodies have been used for research and study in many different capacities without our permission. This specific example is even more fascinating to me because she could be considered white-passing, and this still happened. This artwork informs the history of the black female body by showing how we have been seen as test dummies for experimentation and further research, so much so that our literal DNA and body have been stolen to achieve this goal.

Smithsonian Institution. “National Portrait Gallery Presents a Portrait of Henrietta Lacks, a Co-Acquisition with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.” Smithsonian Institution, 8 May 2018, www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/national-portrait-gallery-presents-portrait-henrietta-lacks-co-acquisition-national-museum-.

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This art is titled Portrait of Albert Kligman made on Woodcut in 1971 by Mitzi Melnicoff.

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This image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is a prime example of how black bodies were used strictly for experimentation and research without proper consent and acknowledgment. This portrait is of a doctor who gained his notoriety and respect as a medical professional by doing dangerous experiments on primarily black prisoners in Philadelphia. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows these doctors are glorified and given so much esteem for violating our bodies and taking advantage of their positions of power. The morality and ethics that are supposed to be the foundation of medicine have consistently been absent when it comes to our bodies. This artwork doesn’t specifically inform the history of the black female body but it definitely does for the black male body by showing how it is never seen as wrong for us to be used for experimentation and further research.

“Portrait of Albert Kligman.” Portrait of Albert Kligman - Woodmere Art Museum, woodmereartmuseum.org/explore-online/collection/portrait-of-albert-kligman. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

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This is a painting by Robert Thom in 1952 i of Lucy, Anarcha and Betsey, which is now in the Pearson Museum.

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This image connects to my theme of the Exploitation of the Black Body within the Medical Scope because it is a painting of an enslaved female patient of J. Marion Sims. He is deemed the Father of Modern Gynecology due to the advancements he made in the field. Unfortunately, he was able to do this by doing dangerous and painful experiments on black female slaves. He performed all of his procedures without anesthesia and without any consent from these women. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows these doctors are glorified and given so much esteem for violating our bodies and taking advantage of their positions of power. It is important for us to know about this artwork because it shows how black bodies have been used for research and study, even though it would cause extreme pain, suffering, and bodily harm. This artwork informs the history of the black female body by showing how we have been seen as test dummies for experimentation and further research, so much so that our ability to reproduce was even stolen from us in this example specifically.

Heidi Downes Antenatal Screening Counsellor Midwife. “Honouring the Slaves Experimented on by the ‘Father of Gynaecology.’” The Conversation, 2 Nov. 2023, theconversation.com/honouring-the-slaves-experimented-on-by-the-father-of-gynaecology-148273.