Brits urged to collect 100 thousand pounds, in order to leave the country's oldest history of the portrait of free blacks.

people of Britain urged to collect 100 thousand pounds, in order to leave the country's oldest history of the portrait of free blacks. The product of the brush by William Hoare of Bath (William Hoare of Bath), showing a Gambian Prince Ayyub Suleiman Diallo (Ayuba Suleiman Diallo), refers to the beginning of XVIII century.

Before his appearance at a Christie's auction in December 2009, the picture was not present for more than a hundred years. It was bought by a private collector for 500,000 pounds. However, when the new owner wanted to remove her from the country, now detained by Customs UK. The picture was of such high historical and artistic value wanted to leave the country.

London National Portrait Gallery was given up to 25 August this year to raise funds for the purchase of the painting. All need to collect 554,937 pounds.

Charity National Art Fund has made 100 thousand.

Another 333,000 gathered the Heritage Lottery Fund. This organization is through the National Lottery raises funds to support and promote the cultural heritage of Great Britain.

To portrait remained in the country, it is necessary to collect an additional 100 thousand pounds. Launched an extensive fundraising campaign.

Painting, part of a private collection since 1840's, has a very unusual story of creation.

Until appearance of the portrait at auction last year of its existence was known only through art engraving of the portrait, which was published in the book.

This is the only known image of a free black person in a painting of XVIII century. Other works of this period depicted blacks only in the service of rich white patrons.

Before confirmed the existence of Hoare's portrait, the very first image of the liberated black slave in a positive manner considered painting by Benjamin Haydon (Benjamin Haydon) 1840. It shows free Henry Beckford (Henry Beckford) to the Conference of abolitionists.

Prince Ayub Diallo managed to obtain freedom and return home when slavery still flourished. He was born in a family of influential Muslim clerics in the region of Senegambia in West Africa. Ayub fell into slavery by chance during a raid on its territory of a neighboring tribe. He was going to sell its own slaves, when together with others he was seized and loaded onto a British ship to Maryland, and from there to work on a tobacco plantation.

He tried to flee but was caught and jailed. There he met with British lawyer Thomas Bluettom (Thomas Bluett), who was impressed by the noble origin and religious Gambian Prince.

Deciding that Ayub "is not a simple servant, Bluett made his release and took him with him to England in 1734. There Diallo quickly entered the circle of highly educated thinkers, who later became inspired antislavery movement.

His new friends were astounded by the Protestants, as Ayub could recite verses of the Koran. It is known that Ayub Diallo helped Sir Hans Sloanu (Sir Hans Sloane) to write the English translation of the holy book of Muslims. Portrait Hoare depicts the young prince with a small Koran hanging from his neck. The book was written to them personally from memory.

trustee of the National Portrait Gallery Zeinab Badawi (Zeinab Badawi) notes the importance of the portrait to examine how the issue of slavery and the history of Islam in Britain: "Portrait of a striking, As the images on it Diallo, without a doubt free, educated and wealthy person. This differs greatly from the typical image of African slaves. Of particular importance is the Koran neck Posing. Portrait tells the story of the centuries-old history of Islam in Britain ».

persuade Diallo posing for a portrait was not easy because of his religious beliefs. Images of people in Islam is considered a sin . Bluett wrote: "[His] aversion to pictures of any kind was an extraordinary, to the extent that we took great pains to make him sit for yourself. We convinced him that he never worshiped a single picture and that his portrait, we need only a good memory ».

Diallo spent in Britain just over a year and then returned to Africa. He continued to trade slaves. However, it also signed an agreement with the Royal African company that she helped to liberate all the slaves of Muslims who will pass through it. It took another hundred years to the institution of slavery as such was completely abolished.

material prepared by Mary Onuchina, AI

Source: independent.co.uk , telegraph.co.uk , artinvestment.ru

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