Illustration for ‘Kalapin’, by John Pettie (1839

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’Kalapin’

John Pettie

1863

Wood engraving by the Dalziel Brothers

7 x 4¼ inches

Illustration for Good WordsLondon: Strahan, 1863, facing p.476.

A typical Pettie image of an adult comforting or guiding a child, though unusual in that it shows a black man rather the usual weather-worn faces of elderly Britons. It illustrates ‘Kalapin’ by ‘The Countess de Gasparin’, and is markedly at odds with the author’s description of the main character. According to the writer, this ‘particular negro’ is ‘Ugly, yes!’ even if he manages to be ‘neat and clean’ (p.473) in the manner of every respectable bourgeois, and is unlikely to offend: a typical example of the casual racism that modern audiences find so repugnant. [Commentary continued below].

[Click on image to enlarge it.]

Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

It is interesting to reflect on the fact that the story was published in 1863 while the American Civil War was raging; and interesting, too, to note how Pettie gives us a sympathetic representation of the character that is not in the least patronising or offensive. Rather, he takes the subject as an opportunity to explore his central interest in children and adults – and the depiction of their loving relationships.

Bibliography

Good Words. London: Strahan, 1863.

Last modified 18 March 2013