Black Presence in National Gallery Paintings

The Circus Performer

What do you see when you look at this painting? A daring circus performer suspended high in the air, hanging on with nothing but her teeth? Maybe you're struck by the dramatic view-point upwards - the artist, Degas, was trying out an unusual compositional idea.

What you might not know is that you're also looking at a celebrated black woman. Miss La La was of mixed race origins, described by newspapers when she visited London in 1879 as 'a dusky lady'. Comments on her famed strength were bound up with ideas about race and gender. Reporters marvelled at the powerful jaws of this 'Amazon', also praising her for being 'a very modest young lady', who received compliments 'with becoming reserve'.

For Degas, she is a body soaring through space. He does not show us her face, so we have no sense of her personality except perhaps through the determined thrust of her outstretched arm.

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