BLM in Art

Watched a docu on tele about the Rijksmuseum (National Dutch Museum; link here) what showed us with their exhibition of 2017 on Slavery in the Dutch colonies is present and was present always.... Only we white Dutchies did not see that; we have a blind spot in our perception!

This photo I took years ago, when visiting the museum with my nephew from Athens, and I never was puzzled or noticed the black boy in orange cloth amongst the showing off gunmen! I watched the painting with my white! Euro-mindset. Apparently, black people notice the black teenager in orange cloth in this painting instantly.

In the documentary was stated that "Black Lives Matter" also touches the Arts.

The painter Bartholomeus van der Helst made this painting in the early 40-ies of 17th C (around 1642) and all the gunmen are named, not the young black boy, who also does not look at us... anonymously he stands here as a servant/slave in Holland amongst the proud guards of Amsterdam's VIII Quarter.  

The documentary of the National Museum shows the team of curators there is a multi-coloured team nowadays and they all look upon the pieces of art with their own perspective, what is colored by heritage, and share this and learn from each-other plus dig into files to document their new views.  

When watching the docu on tele I was certain I have a picture of this painting; did search it back to put it here, and indeed the teenaged black boy I did picture then and don't remember I noticed him particularly then!