For many years, the reality about Frederick Baker’s life underneath enslavement was enshrouded in a whitewashed historical past perpetuated by the native historians of Longwood mansion in Natchez, Mississippi. Now, new analysis on a uncommon pre-Emancipation paintings that has lengthy been on show on the historic home museum has unearthed Baker’s story, dispelling years of false narratives that dignified the reputations of his White enslavers.
Attributed to the artist C.R. Parker, the Nineteenth-century oil portray “Portrait of Frederick” (c. 1840) is considered certainly one of two identified portraits depicting enslaved people in Mississippi. It was acquired as a joint partnership between the Crystal Bridges museum and the Mississippi Museum of Artwork (MMA), which holds “Portrait of Delia” (ca. 1840-1849) by James Reid Lambdin. The acquisition was made in April from Neal Public sale Firm in New Orleans for $508,750.
Forward of its sale, the corporate enlisted Louisiana-based historian and creator Katy Morlas Shannon to analyze the historical past of the portrait sitter. She had beforehand labored with artwork collector Jeremy Okay. Simien to uncover the identification of Bélizaire, a 15-year-old Black topic who was painted over in a portrait of his enslavers.
The Pilgrimage Backyard Membership, which gives year-round excursions at different museum houses linked to slavery, has lengthy confronted criticism over its romanticization of the Confederacy and erasure of the violence of slavery. Its web site describes Longwood as “the largest octagonal house in America” that was left partially unfinished resulting from Civil Conflict; it makes no point out of the location’s historical past of enslavement, as a substitute promoting a tour the place guests can “learn about the fascinating history of the original builder and his family.”
In an essay for the Neal Public sale lot, Morlas Shannon referenced claims promoted by tour guides and docents at Longwood that described the location’s former proprietor Haller Nutt, a infamous enslaver in Louisiana and Mississippi on the top of his wealth, as a benevolent man who finally freed Baker. “Dr. Nutt was a sober man who took his duties and obligations seriously. He felt deep concern for the approximately 800 slaves who worked his plantations and cared for the family’s homes,” artwork and architectural historical past professor William Whitwell wrote in The Heritage of Longwood, printed in 2009.
The membership additionally misrepresented Baker as “the subservient best friend of his enslaver” and a loyal butler, she wrote. Whitwell described Baker as a “long-term man-servant named Uncle Frederick” who continued to take care of Nutt’s widowed spouse and kids after his demise.
“Frederick [Baker] has become the stuff of legend for Confederate apologists and tourists,” Morlas Shannon wrote in her essay.
Hyperallergic reached out to the Pilgrimage Backyard Membership for remark.
James Reid Lambdin, “Portrait of Delia” (ca. 1840-1849) (courtesy Mississippi Museum of Artwork)
It’s unclear precisely why the Nutts commissioned Baker’s portrait, which Morlas Shannon estimates was painted through the 1830s or early 1840s at Laurel Hill Plantation in Mississippi. The artist was a buddy of Nutt household and had beforehand painted portraits of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette for the Louisiana state legislature.
Morlas Shannon described how the work — which captures Baker as its sole topic — evokes a sure false autonomy, given the truth that he would haven’t had the liberty to consent to the portrait. The work, subsequently, served as “another means of objectifying Frederick [Baker].”
“Frederick Baker’s family never owned a painting or photograph that allowed them to remember their father and grandfather,” Morlas Shannon continued. “Even after they were free, the people who had owned Frederick while he was alive owned his likeness after his death.”
Equally, “Portrait of Delia” remained within the possession of her enslavers for generations till 2018 when the MMA acquired it. The portray depicts a home servant at Mount Repose plantation close to Natchez, Mississippi, which was owned by William Bisland. The artist, who was a relative of the Bislands by marriage, additionally created portraits of presidents Zachary Taylor and William Henry Harrison. However apart from these particulars, the MMA has little details about the paintings’s historical past.
“Portrait of Frederick” is at present on show on the MMA by means of December 1 within the short-term exhibition Figments, which explores the traditionally fraught positions of Black topics in visible artwork. In Could 2026, the portray will journey to Crystal Bridges for one 12 months, and subsequently alternate between the 2 museums primarily based on three-year phrases.
