Journal article
Creole Identity in the Enlightenment
D Coleman
Journal for Eighteenth Century Studies | Published : 2022
Abstract
Susanna Gale (1749-1823) was born in St Andrew, Jamaica, a member of the spectacularly wealthy Gale clan which at one point owned in excess of 1000 enslaved people on the island. This article takes Joshua Reynolds's portrait of her as a so-called ‘English rose’ as the starting point for an examination of the discourses surrounding White West Indian creole identity in the Enlightenment. More images are then introduced to explore issues of sameness and difference within constructions of racial, class and gender identities, especially in cousin, sister and mistress–servant relationships. The article ends with reflections on Kehinde Wiley's portrait, After Sir Joshua Reynolds' ‘Miss Susanna Gale..
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Awarded by Australian Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the following for their queries, suggestions, advice and collaboration: Barbara Bryant, Trevor Burnard, Brycchan Carey, Kate Fullagar, Vivien Gaston, Stefan Hanss, Jeanette Hoorn, Alison Inglis, Tom McLean, Peter Otto, Gillian Russell, Miranda Stanyon, Clara Tuite and Carl Villis. Research for this article has been supported by an Australian Research Council Grant (LP130100834).