Redwood Library mounts first exhibition linking Robert Duncanson to abolitionist politics
"Robert Duncanson: Landscapes to Freedom" has debuted at the Redwood Library & Athenaeum in Newport, Rhode Island. This groundbreaking exhibition, running until January 2027, is the first to link the 19th-century African American landscape artist to his activism against slavery and his role in the Underground Railroad. Showcasing twenty-eight paintings and various site photographs from Michael Meyer’s collection, a prominent Duncanson expert, the exhibit explores the artist's journeys through Southern and Northeastern regions, illustrating a map of escape associated with the Underground Railroad. The presentation posits that Duncanson's serene depictions of nature are intricately connected to the fight for freedom, supported by extensive archival research, much of which remains unpublished.
Key facts
- First exhibition to place Duncanson's paintings in context of abolitionist politics and Underground Railroad
- On view through January 2027 at Redwood Library & Athenaeum, the sole venue
- Comprises twenty-eight paintings and numerous site photographs
- Works from the collection of Michael Meyer, acknowledged authority on the artist
- Documents Duncanson's travels to Southern and Northeastern locations
- Illuminates a geography of escape nested within Underground Railroad pathways
- Considers idyllic landscapes as works embedded in struggle over slavery and emancipation
- Based on decades of archival research and documentary evidence
Entities
Artists
- Robert Duncanson
Institutions
- Redwood Library & Athenaeum
Locations
- Newport
- Rhode Island
- United States