Sketches of character : in illustration of the habits, occupation, and costume of the Negro population, in the island of Jamaica / drawn after nature, and in lithography, by I.M. Belisario.
Published / Created:
Kingston, Jamaica : Published by the artist, at his residence, no. 21 King-Street ..., 1837[-1838]
Physical Description:
[20] p., [12] leaves of plates : ill. ; 38 cm.
Holdings:
Rare Books and Manuscripts Folio A 2011 24Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Related Content:
View a selection of digital images in the Yale Center for British Art's online catalogue
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/orbis:4515511
Classification:
Books
Notes:
Abbey, J.R. Travel in aquatint and lithography, 1770-1860, 685."Of the twelve published plates, seven are representations of figures from the masquerades that the formerly enslaved performed in Jamaica during the annual Christmas and New Year's holidays, and four depict examples of different occupations commonly seen in the streets of Kingston ..."--Barringer."Printed by J.R. De Cordova, at the Gleaner's Office, no. 36, Harbour-Street."--Wrappers.Plates printed by Adolphe Duperly."Notice. Subscribers are respectfully informed, the work will appear every alternate month, and be complete in twelve numbers."--Slip, tipped in with part 1. It appears that only three parts were completed. Parts 2 and 3 have printed wrappers dated 1838."Price, to subscribers, £1.6.8, to non-subscribers, £1.13.4, per number colored."--Wrappers.Colas, R. Bibliographie générale du costume et de la mode, 279Institute of Jamaica. Bibliographia jamaicensis 294Black Victorians: Black people in British art 1800-1900, p.32-33Barringer, T.J. Art and emancipation in Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario and his worlds, p. 65-87, 196-260, 424-441Includes a list of subscribers, issued with part 1.BAC: British Art Center copy in original parts, in brown printed wrappers. Lithographs are hand-colored. The British Art Center copy is reproduced in Art and emancipation in Jamaica."[Belisario intends] to hand down faithful delineations of a people, whose habits, manners, and costume, bear the stamp of originality, and in which changes are being daily effected by the rapid strides of civilization ... steering clear of caricature ..."--Preface.
Contents:
Queen or "Maam" of the set-girls -- Red set-girls, and Jack-in-the-green -- Jaw-bone, or House John-Canoe -- Band of the Jaw-Bone John-Canoe -- Koo, Koo, or Actor-boy -- Koo, Koo, or Actor-boy -- French set-girls -- Lovey -- Water-jar sellers -- Milkwoman -- Chimneysweeper -- Creole negroes.
Exhibition History:
Art and Emancipation in Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario and his Worlds (Yale Center for British Art, 2007-09-27 - 2007-12-30)
Subject Terms:
Costume -- Jamaica -- History -- Pictorial works. | Black people -- Jamaica. | Masquerades -- Jamaica. | Jonkonnu (Festival) | Jamaica -- Social life and customs -- Pictorial works. | Jamaica -- In art.
