Bewoners van westelijk Afrika 1807

"Bewoners van westelijk Afrika" (Inhabitants of Western Africa), an 1807 hand-colored etching by Ludwig Gottlieb Portman, depicts two figures from the Wolof ethnic group. The male figure, holding a spear, gazes skyward, while a female figure beats a drum. The artwork's visual style, typical of Portman's work, employs a combination of realism and stylized elements, capturing the details of clothing and jewelry, but also presenting a dramatic composition with a sense of exoticism. This piece, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, exemplifies the European fascination with Africa in the early 19th century.