Bust thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Europe 1600-1815, Room 7, The Sheikha Amna Bint Mohammed Al Thani Gallery

Bust

ca. 1705-1710 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bust of a black boy shows similarities in style to a sculpture of a standing black boy in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum figure is signed 'JOANNES CLAUD DE COC …. Anno 1704', making it possible that both sculptures are the work of the Flemish artist Joannes Claudius de Cock. Another possibility is that the V&A bust is a later work by a different artist inspired by the de Cock figure.

De Cock's choice of a black subject for the standing figure and (possibly) bust may be unusual, but African people, particularly young men and boys, were not an uncommon sight in cosmopolitan Antwerp where de Cock spent much of his working life. The city's historic trading links and increasing involvement in the transatlantic slave trade contributed to the growth of a black community. At present it is unclear whether the bust is intended to represent a particular individual or a 'type' of person.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
visit V&A trail: Africans in Europe Chosen by our African Heritage Gallery Guides, this selection of extraordinary objects invites you to take a closer look at European depictions of race, enslavement, pride, freedom, equality and activism. Each piece testifies to a Black presence in Europe of hundreds of years – while today...

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Marble
Brief description
Bust of a boy, marble, attributed to Joannes Claudius de Cock (1668-1735), Netherlandish, about 1705-10
Physical description
White marble bust of a young black boy, wearing a medallion around his neck.
Dimensions
  • Including base height: 370mm
  • Width: 230mm
  • Depth: 145mm
Measured byConservation, 2012.
Gallery label
  • Bust of a Boy About 1705-10 This bust of a black child was probably carved in Antwerp, a port city with global trading connections. African men and boys worked in European ports and cities as seamen and servants. The boy’s jacket suggests that he was a servant, and his medallion may show his master. Southern Netherlands, now Belgium (probably Antwerp) Probably by Jan Claudius de Cock Marble Bequeathed by E.S. Clarke Esq.(09.12.2015)
  • Head of an Infant This is one of ten marble busts of black infants by or after the Netherlandish sculptor Jan-Cluadius de Cock (1667-1735). The man on the medallion may represent the boy's master.
Credit line
Bequeathed by E. S. Clarke Esq.
Subject depicted
Summary
This bust of a black boy shows similarities in style to a sculpture of a standing black boy in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum figure is signed 'JOANNES CLAUD DE COC …. Anno 1704', making it possible that both sculptures are the work of the Flemish artist Joannes Claudius de Cock. Another possibility is that the V&A bust is a later work by a different artist inspired by the de Cock figure.

De Cock's choice of a black subject for the standing figure and (possibly) bust may be unusual, but African people, particularly young men and boys, were not an uncommon sight in cosmopolitan Antwerp where de Cock spent much of his working life. The city's historic trading links and increasing involvement in the transatlantic slave trade contributed to the growth of a black community. At present it is unclear whether the bust is intended to represent a particular individual or a 'type' of person.
Bibliographic references
Collection
Accession number
A.18-1913

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdNovember 14, 2002
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest