View on the River Roseau, Dominica

1770–80

The Italian-born artist Agostino Brunias settled on the island of Dominica, painting scenes of Caribbean life for his planter-class patrons and white audiences abroad. By not including the brutal conditions of slavery, his compositions shaped a reassuring vision of British imperialism for those in power. Yet by centering enslaved and free people of color—and mixed-race interactions—he also foregrounded the human impact of colonialism.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Agostino Brunias (Italian, active in England and the West Indies, 1758–96)

Date

1770–80

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

84.1 × 158 cm (33 1/8 × 62 3/16 in.); Framed: 99.4 × 173.1 × 10.8 cm (39 1/8 × 68 1/8 × 4 1/4 in.)

Origin

United Kingdom

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Gift of Emily Crane Chadbourne