Day 12: Attendant to the Princess of Zanzibar This beautiful mysterious woman is painted beside a woman in which she attended to. The painting is titled "Portrait of the Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant," by Walter Frier. 🧶 1/7 #BHM #indieyarndyers #yarnsky #craftsky #indieyarndyer - ThreadSky

isasaxonists.bsky.social • 19 days ago

Day 12: Attendant to the Princess of Zanzibar

This beautiful mysterious woman is painted beside a woman in which she attended to. The painting is titled "Portrait of the Princess of Zanzibar with an African Attendant," by Walter Frier. 🧶

1/7
#BHM #indieyarndyers #yarnsky #craftsky #indieyarndyer

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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

The inscription on the painting provides a narrative abt Sir John Henderson of Fordell, who, during his travels between 1618 -1628, was enslaved by a Barbary prince in Zanzibar. The princess of that country fell in love w/ him & facilitated their escape. They reached Alexandria, where she died.
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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

Henderson then commissioned a portrait of the princess and her black maid in their native attire.

Sadly, specific details abt the African attendant are scarce. The inscription refers to her as the princess's "black Maid," but does not provide her name or further info abt her life or role.

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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

So many Black attendants, servants, & figures in historical European art are left unnamed, their lives reduced to background details while the main subjects get all the attn. It makes you wonder who she was—what her story was beyond just being "the princess's maid."
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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

She was clearly important enough to be included in the portrait, but history didn’t care enough to record her name. But, we are paying attn to her now & acknowledging her presence in a meaningful way of its own.

The colorway based on this beauty is a soft ivory shade that goes with everything.
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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

The colorway is called "Zanzabari Cream" as the creamy off-white color is a perfect neutral to go w/ anything & doesn't have the harshness of a plain white. There is some soft variation in the skein to reflect the light hitting the more intense cream, which will give depth to your projects.
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isasaxonists.bsky.social•19 days ago

It's simple & beautiful like our maiden.

Now you know a little abt this Black maiden's life in service to a princess. So many other attendants are featured but unnamed. Their stories lost to history. Maybe someone out there can turn this into an investigation. For now, we see her.

7/7
#BHM 🧶

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