Black African Removing Bottles From a Cooler 1715 - 1770

This engraving, made by Francois Boucher, presents an image laden with the socio-cultural dynamics of its time. Here, a Black African man is depicted in a subservient role, removing bottles from a cooler. Such depictions are not isolated; they echo in various forms across different epochs. Consider how similar visual cues appear in antiquity, where conquered peoples were often portrayed serving their conquerors. These images become embedded in the collective memory, subtly influencing perceptions and reinforcing social hierarchies. The power dynamic here is not merely a surface representation but a deep-seated psychological construct that engages with our subconscious biases. The act of serving, here represented by a man removing bottles, transforms into a recurring motif, constantly reshaped, reinterpreted, and imbued with new meanings, yet always echoing its origins.