Portraits of Surinamese Girls, anonymous, c. 1805
gilding, h 6.4cm × w 5.5cm × w 18.7gr More details
These girls were most likely the daughters of a white man and a black woman. Cohabitation between white men and black domestic slaves was a frequent occurrence in Suriname. Their children were called ‘mulattos’. There were specific appellations for every shade of skin colour, and people were labelled as mulattos, mestizos, castizos, and poesties. In Surinamese society, a lighter skin colour conferred a higher status.
