Ethiopian Monarch c. 1897 - 1902

"Ethiopian Monarch" is a photograph created by F. Holland Day. This image captures the likeness of a young Black man, but through the title, it evokes questions about the exoticization of Black identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Day was part of the Pictorialist movement, and he often explored themes of race, religion, and sexuality. This work blurs the line between portraiture and symbolic representation. The subject's gaze is both commanding and vulnerable, challenging the viewer to consider the complexities of representation. "I am not white, nor male, nor rich, but I am all artist" Day claimed. The photograph prompts us to reflect on the historical power dynamics inherent in image-making, as well as on the artist's own position within a society marked by racial and cultural hierarchies. It compels us to confront the stereotypes that have historically shaped perceptions of Black identity.