2. The Painting That Tells the Tale of England’s First Black Aristocrat
Since the mid-1990s, people have looked over the painting of Belle and her companion, Lady Elizabeth Murray. It is very unusual for women of African origin to be painted in the way Belle is. Generally, people of African ancestry were added as accessories during Belle’s time because blacks were not thought to be equal to whites. However, whenever someone looks at the painting of Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray, it is evident that the two girls are fond of each and at a near-same status.
At first, people thought Johann Zoffany was the painter, but it was later revealed that it was David Martin. In the painting, you can see Lady Elizabeth reaching out for Belle. On top of this, Belle is slightly taller than Lady Elizabeth. Typically, people of African origin were painted as shorter. Furthermore, Belle is looking straight forward, which was also rare of the time of this painting. Both are dressed in fancy attire, and Belle can also be seen smiling. According to Amma Asante, director of the 2013 movie, Belle, “This painting flipped tradition and everything the 18th century told us about portraiture.”