Unidentified Image (Olaudah Equiano or Ottobah Cugoano)
The museum identifies the subject as Gustavus Vassa (c. 1745–1797), or Olaudah Equiano, who was an abolitionist writer who claimed to be born in the Bight of Biafra region. However, this portrait might also be John Stuart (c. 1757–c. 1791), also known as Ottobah Cugoano, who was also an abolitionist writer who was from the Voltaic region. For details, see Jerome S. Handler, Survivors of the Middle Passage: Life Histories of Enslaved Africans in British America, Slavery & Abolition, vol. 23 (2002), pp. 25-56.
Image Title
Unidentified Image (Olaudah Equiano or Ottobah Cugoano)
RegID
SI-OB-1094
Date
Late-1700s
Title
Unidentified Image (Olaudah Equiano or Ottobah Cugoano)
Source
Oil portrait by an unidentified artist held by the Royal Albert Museum in Exeter, U.K.
Language
English
Item sets
Portraits & Illustrations of Individuals
Spatial Coverage
Africa--Eastern Bight
Researchers
Jerome Handler; Michael Tuite; Henry B. Lovejoy Graduate Research Assistants: Tiffany Beebe; Travis May
Identifier
I015