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Notes
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In 2021 English Heritage commissioned a series of portraits depicting six historic figures from the African diaspora whose stories contributed to England’s rich history. Each artist was supported by English Heritage curators and historians to creatively portray their subject. Dido Belle was the daughter of a young enslaved black woman, Maria Belle, and a Royal Naval officer, Captain Sir John Lindsay. Born out of wedlock, Dido was raised by her great uncle, Lord Chief Justice William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield in Georgian London and spent much of her life at Kenwood on Hampstead Heath in north London. It was extremely unusual for a mixed-race child to be raised as part of an aristocratic British family in the 18th century. However, evidence shows that was Dido was brought up as a lady and enjoyed close relationships with her family.
Title
Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761–1804)
Date
2021
Medium
oil on canvas
Measurements
H 122 x W 91.2 cm
Accession number
UNAC.PR.6
Acquisition method
commissioned
Work type
Painting
