Clothing the enslaved : an analysis of artistic representations of enslaved individuals in sixteenth to eighteenth century Maltese visual culture

Abstract

Over the past two decades, the study of the representation of enslaved individuals has gained notable scholarship. This research concerns the artistic representation of the clothing worn by enslaved individuals and such representations will be analysed both in their artistic technique and iconographic value. As clothing is framed into narrative, the mechanisms of socio-cultural influences may be rather clearly identified. The subject of this research is strongly influenced by recently established and emerging post-colonial theories, which are gaining traction in art and scholarly literature.1 This research aimed to apply such theories to Maltese Baroque art, to uncover a unique facet of this period and deepen our understanding of the effects of extensive slavery on visual culture. Following direct engagement with the most prominent artworks, the degree of iconographical homogenisation evident in representations of enslaved individuals was revealed to merit further discussion. This research argues that ‘Otherness’ was enforced through clothing, which marginalised the enslaved both in lived experience and visual culture. 2 Despite political hostilities and opposing religions, Mediterranean regions shared some sociocultural similarities. Between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, Malta sustained a slavebased society, which significantly benefited and relied on ransom transactions. Maltese galleys held Turks, Moors and Africans as captives condemned to rowing, and this persisted until the late eighteenth century. Enslaved individuals condemned to Maltese galleys were housed in slave prisons or bagnos, and those who fell ill while their ships were in harbour were cared for in specialised wards at the Holy Infirmary. The Mediterranean slave trade was unlike that of the Transatlantic, as the Mediterranean’s was reciprocated between the opposing sides. It is imperative to highlight the duality of the trade. The historical analysis which informed the interpretations presented in this study provided necessary context while indicating the extent to which visual culture both reflected and shaped the era’s attitudes towards enslavement, identity and ‘otherness’. 3 Careful consideration was given to the terminology utilised in this study. Terms including ‘enslaved individuals’ as opposed to ‘slaves’, as the former emphasises imposed oppression as a condition rather than reducing an individual to a fixed label. Furthermore, the term ‘Orient’ carries connotative baggage of historical exoticism and commodification, and was used in this study about the inclination towards the exoticized ‘Other’. This research argues that the growing interest in the ‘Orient’ may reflect the Western European desire to define itself through contrast. To an extent, such exoticisation may be considered an alternative expression of dominance over ‘Othered’ regions, with due consideration given to the duality of the slave trade and consequent cultural syntheses. Clothing was a prominent feature of consumption in each sector within the social hierarchy, and was deeply influenced by socio-cultural and political factors and their variations. This research argues that the study of clothing and costume history holds significant potential for enhancing understanding of Maltese society during the Baroque age.