The purchase of slaves in Africa was, as we have seen, infrequently depicted in the eighteenth century. But the acquisition of slaves was only the initial stage of the process of enslavement. From Africa the slaves were transported in large numbers in ships adapted for the purpose to colonies—the dreaded Middle Passage—and if they survived the journey, they were put to work on...

The conventions of representation that governed allegorical painting and views of African tribal life could hardly be more different from each other, yet an allegory of Africa could sometimes contain more information...