BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art

by Zaria Ware

A fun and fact-filled introduction to the dismissed Black art masters and models who shook up the world.

Elegant. Refined. Exclusionary. Interrupted. The foundations of the fine art world are shaking. Beyoncé and Jay-Z break the internet by blending modern Black culture with fine art in their iconic music video filmed in the Louvre. Kehinde Wiley powerfully subverts European masterworks. Calls resonate for diversity in museums and the resignations of leaders of the old guard. It's clear that modern day museums can no longer exist without change--and without recognizing that Black people have been a part of the Western art world since its beginnings. Quietly held within museum and private collections around the world are hundreds of faces of Black men and women, many of their stories unknown. From paintings of majestic kings to a portrait of a young girl named Isabella in Amsterdam, these models lived diverse lives while helping shape the art world along the way. Then, after hundreds of years of Black faces cast as only the subject of the white gaze, a small group of trailblazing Black American painters and sculptors reached national and international fame, setting the stage for the flourishing of Black art in the 1920s and beyond. Captivating and informative, BLK Art is an essential work that elevates a globally dismissed legacy to its proper place in the mainstream art canon. From the hushed corridors of royal palaces to the bustling streets of 1920s Paris--this is Black history like never seen before.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, History, Art History, Race, Coffee Table Books, African American

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2023

About the author

Zaria Ware is a writer, poet, and independent curator.

Reviews

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very important collection of artworks. The weakest section was the one detailing the Middle Ages/Renaissance but the later coverage of 18th and 19th century works/artists more than made up for it. I did feel as though the author could have analyzed the artworks a bit more, as she would use the works as examples to her points without ever really delving into the paintings themselves, which in my opinion does the works a disservice. But overall, a great introduction into the topic that include many amazing, high quality photographs of artworks (many of which are lesser known).

[Benita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was so needed. As a kid I found myself enamoured with western art but too wondered where the black and borwn faces were. This book has highlighted the many black faces who have been in the art and created the art all along. I felt such inspiration while reading this book. Written with wit and a bit of humor, this book takes on the art communiyt which can be quite stuffy and unwelcoming. I must add this book to my permanent collection!

[Mariama Thorlu-Bangura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and very enlightening book about African American artists in the 18th and 19th centuries. This is a topic that I've rarely seen books about, so when I found this, I immediately purchased it. Definitely a worthwhile buy and read!!

[Rodrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The idea of black history has long been the subject of grief, pity, resilience, and victory over evil; but it is more than that. It is dramatic, thrilling, fun, exciting, joyous, and inspiring.”

Totally agree with the author. What a entertaining and informative book.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally prefer a more academic language but it’s a much needed book and I learned A LOT.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book features not only paintings containing black men and women but also gives the reader a glimpse into the lives of some black painters as well. Did you know there was a community of black people living in Amsterdam in the 1600s? Although I had briefly come across an inkling of this in the fictional book Lenoir by Ken Greenhall, I learned much more about it in this book.
There is also a section that elaborates on 4 black artists of the 1800s and the struggles they overcame to achieve their artistic goals and gain renown in their fields of expression.
This book was not only a pleasure to look through but also very interesting and informative.

[ツツ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoever controls how someone sees anything—and makes sure that they never ask why—is in control of the past, future, and present. Whoever "owns" art, and by way of that owns history, by way of that owns minds.

History are the stories we choose to tell. I’ve been suspecting the images we collectively regard as ‘art canon’ to be arbitrarily determined. But I never thought professionals of the fine art field would go as far as defacing portrait(s) of black people, aside from the common practice of mislabelling.

I finally have a faint idea of what ‘Moor’ means.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book if you're looking to learn about art/artists in a curious, engaging, fun and informative way that won't put you to sleep! I learned so much from this book - including a whole bunch of artists I have never heard of before, but will definitely be looking out for the next time I visit an art museum.

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal read!! This book is rich in history and truly so inspiring. The legacy of Black art runs deep and I walked away feeling so empowered after hearing all of the stories of Black artists (men and women) who paved the way for us creatives. I would absolutely recommend to everyone, it’s a MUST READ.

[joanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5.
This is definitely a much needed work since Black models and Black fine artists suffer from racism and invisibility in the arts history field. I studied briefly anglophone art history back at university and indeed, not once did we hear about any of the influential Black artists mentioned. I appreciated how the author emphasised on the importance of celebrating a joyous Black history too.
My favourite pieces of art were "Portrait of a young woman” (p.93) and the sculpture "African Venus" (p.108).

Now, although I understand that the point of this book is to be accessible, I expected a more scientific approach (lack of footnotes, millennial writing style, is the author an art historian or at least an historian??). The author didn't dive much into art analysis, perhaps featuring a co-author who IS an art historian could be a good idea for such a work (maybe I'm nitpicking because my bf has a master in history and I got used to be careful with non-scientific nonfiction idk). But overall, this is a good introduction to Black art history.

[Cheryl]

Important, of course. Also there are some absolutely lovely portraits in here, and some fascinating information.

Did you know that Alexandre Dumas was biracial?

"Free Woman of Color" by Francois Fleischbein, has been made known to us as a portrait of a slave named Betsy. The provenance and subject were actively erased - and this is from 1837 so it's not even that old.

Jacques-Eugene Feyen's "The Child's Kiss" is a delight. All four people are so very alive, especially the Black woman (nursemaid?).

I wish that I had time to read it carefully. What I did read while skimming is engaging as well as enlightening.

February 2025

[Lauren pavey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Artists and Models in Western Art by Zaria Ware
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Zaria Ware's book BLK ART: The Audacious Legacy of Black Artists and Models in Western Art is a treasure trove of work by dismissed black art masters and models.

This book is not only a pleasure to browse through but is also filled with interesting facts and written with wit and humour that’s missing in so many art books. I would highly recommend for anyone interested in western art history !

[LdyGray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of artwork from the Western world, featuring Black models and/or painted by Black artists. It feels important, and has helped me look more closely for people of color in every art museum I visit.

[annina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really great. The only thing that I think could have improved it is that I really wished for some more in depth analysis of the artwork but overall this is a really great introduction to Western Black art and talks about many forgotten artists.

[Giuseppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I checked it out because I love books like this. Art, History, stories and tidbits, and of course a "further reading" page with more books I can delve into. I loved the roll through time reading about the black artists and art models throughout the ages. Each work has a story, and gave me a look into the past into a fascinating heritage and opened up a whole new world of black history for me.

[Aisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 star read, 5 stars for rep - I remember being invited to hear a virtual talk on this author - I can't find the sauce anymore, but I enjoyed hearing her discuss her motivation and a few choice pieces. Overall, I think it's a great read and reference to really contextualize black artists and models in the Western Art canon. I found it a weird length - there was a great deal of research and thought put into each of the sections but they felt almost too short - like an intro to an exhibit? I also really liked the artwork but I feel like I lost some of the impact of the art as a book reader and not a sculpture / canvas observer.

This work fulfills SPL's summer book bingo prompt - "Black Art / Artists."

[Emily VA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a slightly snarky and fun correction to the too-common and highly-incorrect vision of classical European and 19th century American art belonging only to white people, both as subjects and artists. I especially loved meeting the black American artists of the 19th century who pre-dated the Harlem Renaissance, carving their way to educations, creation, and success despite the many hardships and obstacles of 19th century racism, personal and structural. Meeting their work is a joy and a useful broadening of perspective.

[Kelley May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting read. I loved the author’s more conversational and quirky tone, and I couldn’t put it down (hence reading it basically in one night).

The first half of the book is about depictions of black people in art throughout time. The second half focuses on short biographies of black artists mainly from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Very well researched and full of beautiful and unfortunately forgotten or uncelebrated stories. If you love art and art history this is a must read.

[Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absorbed every detail of Zaria Ware’s Blk Art in a way I’ve never done before for a nonfiction book.

Her use of a casual, funny voice while being professional and stating ALL the facts… the dedication to the subject matter… the beautiful layout of the artworks throughout the book.

Books like these are so important because it calls into question the prejudiced narratives that hang over Black people. The real truth is…

Black people can create art.
Blake people have BEEN creating art.
Black people can be the center of art.
Black people are artists of all kinds.

Black + art = BLK ART

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful, quick overview of black artists and models in western art. Due to the vast time frame covered as well as the scant records available on some of the people involved, the author didn’t go into too much detail - but I still learned an immense amount. The book contained a large collection of vibrant pictures of the art discussed, and I look forward to finding some of these beautiful paintings in person next time I go to an art museum.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great. A Coffee table book with a huge selection of colour reproductions of artworks in part or whole and an engaging guide in Zaria Ware, who has a chatty style that makes it sound like you're having a conversation with someone who is passionate about their subject, rather than attending a lecture. I learned a huge amount without it seeming like hard work.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This lovely book is a needed introduction to the existence of black and non-white-skinned people in paintings. People who aren't caricatures. People who are depicted as they really were. Including by artists of the stature of Rembrandt. A reminder that people of color have been in Europe have lived and worked in Europe for centuries, not always as slaves. Some had been sailors who settled on land after voyaging. Europe and England were better than the U.S. at allowing for freeing black people from slavery. They are depicted often as servants, but also very beautifully as Balthasar, the wise man from Africa at the Nativity. There are also several individual portraits as well. This part of the book shows people of color as models. One full-length portrait is of The Moorish Chief by Eduard Charlemont.
The second part gives the history and shows paintings of artists who were black, and because of the color of their skin had great difficulty getting training as artists. However, some managed to get teachers, or patrons who would see that they could travel to Europe. There are four featured artists: Robert Seldon Duncanson, Edward Mitchell Banniser, sculptor Edmonia Lewis, Henry Ossawa Tanner, with several works shown for each. There are also seven short bits with some text and one or two works shown. Some lovely paintings show up in this section. Alas many of the landscapes are very dark, maybe from the chemistry of the paint, or the varnish, or simply age. It's hard to appreciate these. My favorite in this section is the painting of mountain laurel by Charles Ethan Porter, but I'm very fond of flowers. I also like the Boston street scene by Edward Mitchell Bannister.
We need to acknowledge the presence of people of color in history and art. They're there. We just have to see them, seek them out if necessary.
Highly recommended to lovers of art and the history of art, as well as black history. Especially recommended to those who want to deny them their place.

[Jen Durance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this modern take on (mostly) Western art history. The commentary was insightful, yet fun, and filled with current colloquialisms (#queen) while still informative and well-researched.

I appreciated the individual stories of the black artists featured towards the end, but I would have liked more insight to the paintings witnessed at the beginning of the book. The author did a good job of finding artwork that supported her points surrounding black models and subjects, but there was little context to the artworks themselves.

Overall, this is a wonderful coffee table style book filled with classical artwork and a deeper dive into how race has played a role in art throughout the ages.

[ISRA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ware states in the opening of the book it isn’t going to read like a textbook however, I would have given this book 5 stars if there were a bit more depth of history and or historical context for the images. Don’t get me wrong, it is insightful. But some works featured weren’t analyzed despite even the superficial the nuance of them providing depth - one painting for instance titled Portrait of a Young Man opposite a painting of Yarrow Mamout (pages 112-113) who Ware had historical records of highlights how little information there was on the young man who clearly has marks of scarification on his face indicating distinct African ancestry and spiritual/religious practices yet was depicted in Oslo.

[el · Rating 4 out of 5]

..."More than 100 years ago, W.E.B. Du Bois curated an exhibit entitled American Negro for the 1900 Paris Exposition. It challenged international stereotypes of Blackness with 363 photographs of elegant Black men and women engaged in study and daily life, and owning well-kept homes. 76 years later, Fisk University professor David Driskell curated an exhibit entitled Two Centuries of Black American Art with the LA Museum of Art... These two exhibits... were as essential as they were stunningly audacious because they dared to make positive connections where connections were never meant to be made: black + art and black + humanity. "

[Lo✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A (fairly) thorough and very insightful look at black art history. It is incredibly designed, and I really appreciated the curation of art within it. The writing … well, sometimes it veered a bit too #millennial. I wish it was just a pinch more sophisticated, but I understand wanting to make this appealing for the masses. I also wish she analyzed the artworks a bit more, as doing so would really help strengthen her points. Anyway, as an artist, I’m glad I bought it and would recommend to everyone.

[Cosmogyral (Gav) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of images, most of which are very striking works I'd never been exposed to before. Ware gives brief biographies when possible, as well as historical context, and while I would have gladly read more text, her succinctness and clarity mean I can recommend it to younger readers and folks new to art history, as well as friends who eat adjacent tomes for breakfast.

[Bree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was modern with a fast turn around. Would have liked to have more historical properties with in its text. If anyone comes across this book, absolutely pick it up for a quick Art History escape.

[Crystal M · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to Black art/artists in the western tradition. It’s written in a very accessible way that doesn’t intimidate newer learners of art history. The book design and layout is gorgeous. A bookshelf staple for any art and/or racial history lover.

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolute perfection. stunning art, important history and the writing style is the opposite of what you'd expect from an art history book which is to say it's extremely entertaining.

this must have been such a labour of love with all the research that went into it and I hope that it'll gain more recognition soon.