Who was the enslaved Black child depicted in famous 18th-century portrait? Researchers can now tell his story | CNN

The depiction of an enslaved Black child known as “Jersey” by celebrated 18th-century portrait painter Joshua Reynolds has long puzzled art historians, raising questions about the boy’s identity and life — and whether or not he was even real. Now, researchers in London say they finally have some answers — after scouring British government archives, original letters, ship captains’ logs and documents relating to crew members, according to the UK’s National Trust. The conservation charity carried out the research in collaboration with London’s National Gallery and the Royal Museums Greenwich. In the painting, completed around 1748, the smartly-dressed boy — wearing a navy-blue coat, red waistcoat, an embroidered white turban and pearl earrings — is gazing up at young Royal Navy lieutenant, Paul Henry Ourry, who later became a captain. Artists in the 18th century would often include a person of color, who would sometimes be imaginary, in their portraits of wealthy white sitters to embellish the painting and highlight the high status of the main subject, according to the researchers. So, “as tropes, we can’t always be sure that the person of color, the Black sit

May 8, 2026 → May 8, 2026