Ham’s Redemption was painted by Spanish painter Modesto Brocos in 1895.
This work is considered one of the most racist paintings of the nineteenth century, centered around the dangerous belief that blackness was a curse, broken when a generation began to birth white complected children, the ‘whitening of society’ which was perceived as progress.
Research a little more about the painting. What are the parallels between this and Desiree’s Baby? Write a 200 word reflection on this and submit through Canvas.
Sample Solution
In 1895, a Galician-born Brazilian painter Modesto Broccos (1852-1936) painted a representation of Ham`s redemption to uplift Africans from the curse of Noah through racial whitening. In this painting, Broccos presented an aged African grandmother, who had intercourse with a white Portuguese man. Their affair brought forth a mulatto daughter. In turn, her mulatto daughter had an affair with another young white man (interpreted as a European immigrant) and they bore a young son with white complexion. The painting represents the dilution of Blackness. Proponents of New World slavery used the story of his wrongdoings to justify slavery. The title of the painting, then, posits that the elimination of the stain of Blackness is the path of redemption for Black people and the hope of a future white nation.
