Rediscoveries Redefining Black Art History | Afrikanizm

5 Rediscoveries Redefining Black Art History

Recent rediscoveries are transforming how we understand Black representation across art history. These five moments shine a light on neglected artists and sitters, discarding outdated assumptions and urging institutions to recalibrate what—and who—they display.

1. 17th-Century Black Portraiture — Two Women Wearing Cosmetic Patches (c. 1655)

A rare English portrait depicting a Black woman alongside a white woman was rehung at Compton Verney. As Artnet noted, the painting’s restored visibility challenges simplistic assumptions about race, beauty, and power in 17th-century Britain—the decorative beauty patches signaling both social ranking and racial commentary.

2. Ben Enwonwu’s Lost Portrait of Princess Adetutu Ademiluyi (1974)

After nearly 50 years, a long-missing portrait—by Nigeria’s pioneering modernist Ben Enwonwu—surfaced and was slated for auction. Enwonwu’s celebrated work compelled the art world to reconsider African modernism’s place in global art history.

3. Rediscovering the “Black Briton” of the 1700s

Historians found evidence that a Black servant within the British royal court, Cumberlidge, likely retired and acquired his own home in Surrey—marking one of the first Black Britons with voting rights. This finding rewrites understandings of Black agency in early modern Britain.

4. Reviving Nigerian Modernism

Scholars are reexamining mid-century art from Nigerian masters like Enwonwu. These efforts broaden the canon of postcolonial art, recognizing that Nigerian artists contributed to the same modernist currents once dominated by Western narratives.

5. Hanging Black Artists in Major Exhibitions

From recent exhibitions to scholarly recovery, museums are reevaluating works by Black artists and subjects—shifting them from archival obscurity into dedicated galleries. These curatorial choices are essential acts of justice and truth-telling.

Why These Rediscoveries Matter

These cases show that “rediscovery” isn’t simply about art historians winning news headlines—it’s about correcting long-standing erasures. By returning Black figures to museum walls, institutions acknowledge their power, agency, and artistic contributions.

These rediscoveries also challenge curators and collectors to rethink collecting, commissioning, and archiving practices. They suggest a future where art history includes Black presence not as an afterthought, but as foundational.

🔧 What’s Next?

To build on these moments, museums must invest in provenance research, diversify curatorial teams, and commit to inclusive programming. True transformation means going beyond token exhibition spaces—it requires structural change, from educational policies to grantmaking.

Rediscoveries may spark the initial breakthrough. But sustaining them demands that institutions continue to look deeper—and listen longer.

Sources

• Artnet News – 5 Rediscoveries Transforming Black Art Narratives
• Compton Verney rehang report, December 2024
• Artnet’s coverage of Ben Enwonwu’s portrait rediscovery