Eusébia Cosmé 1944

Beauford Delaney painted “Eusébia Cosmé” with oil on board sometime in the mid-twentieth century. Delaney, an African-American artist working in a predominantly white art world, here gives us a vibrant portrait of a woman of color, possibly painted in France. Consider the politics of imagery at this time. For much of Western art history, depictions of people of color have been filtered through a colonial lens. The very act of Delaney, an American expatriate, painting this portrait challenges those established norms. He is taking control of the narrative and representing Eusébia Cosmé with dignity, presence, and even exuberance. We can delve into the context through archival research. Letters and exhibition reviews from Delaney's time might reveal his intentions and how audiences received such works. Ultimately, the power of art lies in its ability to reflect, critique, and reshape the social structures of its time.