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As I first entered the Baltimore Museum of Art, I was shocked. I hadn't been to an art museum since I was a child, and of course I was to young to appreciate anything. As I walked my way throughout the museum observing all of the statues, portraits and antiques, I was asking everyone that worked there where I could find paintings before 1850. After a worker explained that only a few paintings are open to public due to construction, I thought to myself I am going to be forced to choose out of like five paintings. As I walked into the exhibit, immediately I was attracted to a painting of two young boys, one black and one white. This painted using oil on canvas by an American named John Hesselius in the year of 1761. Perhaps it was the detailed outfits that the two boys were wearing, but immediately I knew I wanted to write about the painting. Even if the whole exhibit was open to view, I know I still would have chosen this painting. Charles Calvert, who is the son of Bennedict and Elizabeth Calvert, is shown here in the painting at the age of five with a young Calvert family slave. At the time of this painting, around 1761, it was common for children to be accompanied by slaves when the parents were not around to care for
Perhaps that is why I chose this because if shows how time has changed. As well, after learning that Hesselius was the instructor of another artist named Charles Pearle, I recall Pearle's painting of the Thomson family, which was displayed right next to the painting of Charles Calvert and his slave. The slave, who is a very dark skinned child with dark brown eyes, is wearing an off-white outfit. The painting of John Paca which was painted by Hesselius in 1762, seems to have the same body details and clothing details as does the painting of Charles Calvert and his slave. Hesselius probably used dull colors for everything else than Charles and his slave, to make them stand out from the rest of this picture. He has blonde hair, blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and looks a little chubby. Nowhere near as detailed as the clothing or the skin of the Charles or his slave. Charles appears to look like the average American child. Today, although some people still hold the old southern views towards blacks, black and white children are seen playing with each other daily. They are located in a field with a river behind them, and a set of mountains in the distance. Charles and his slave seem to be richly dressed in fashionable attire for the time. Charles is wearing a light pink outfit with white cuffs, a black hat with white feathers, a nice pair of black shoes with buckles, and a pair of knee high socks. Charles looks like a very innocent man who perhaps could have made best friends with the slave. Slaves were used for cooking meals for the family and for babysitting the children when needed. Charles, with drumsticks in his hand, is located in the middle of the painting as his slave is kneeling on the ground holding the drum.
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Acceptance Essays
