The Construction of Identity in Art: A Study of the Use of Visual Imagery from the Early Nineteenth to Late Twentieth Centuries

Sarah Moffat
Trinity College Dublin
Department of History of Art and Architecture
2010
BA

Subject: Digital Media, Illustration, Painting and Prints
Country: America and Europe
Period: 19th and 20th Century

10,000 words

This dissertation examines the formulation and destruction of stereotypes in relation to the image of the black person within art during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in both Europe and America. It covers traditional art forms such as painting and print, as well as advertising and a later focus on the American conceptual artist Adrian Piper. The diversity of works discussed, as well as the wide range of attitudes towards race and racism are evident throughout the study. There is therefore an attempt to provide a concise overview of the history of the image of the black person within art during this period. There is also recognition of the destructive effect on both sides that stereotyping can have. This acts as a comment on the powerful effect of visual imagery and art in society.

Irish Georgian Society

Education Theses Register

The Construction of Identity in Art: A Study of the Use of Visual Imagery from the Early Nineteenth to Late Twentieth Centuries