Robert Seldon Duncanson

Robert Duncanson (1821-1872) was a truly remarkable man and a remarkable talent. Mr. Duncanson was held in high regard as an artist of considerable note during his lifetime. He reached levels of achievement for his art work that were statistically impossible for a biracial man in the 19th century. His achievements broke through the brick wall that precluded Black Americans from mastering painting of the European, traditional, classical forms.

Understandably, there are holes in the biographical information about Duncanson. It is known that he was born a free Black man and that he was of “mixed race.” It is also known that his father (an accomplished house painter) took him to Canada so that he would have a superior education. His education included: literature, poetry, science, and mathematics. Duncanson trained to be a draftsman and a house painter like his father; however, he decided that he would become an artist.

There is a major, sticky wicket with Duncanson’s bold career choice. Opportunities for classical, art training were nonexistent for individuals who were Black or biracial; so, Duncanson began his career as a self-taught artist. He taught himself the fundamentals of portraiture by copying prints, engravings, and the sketches of Europeans. Duncanson was able to travel to Europe due to the largess of his sponsors.

In Europe, he visited the Scottish highlands and he was able to view the English masters Constable and Turner. Finally, Duncanson was familiar with Wordsworth, William Blake, Walt Whitman, and other poets – his familiarity with poetry and prose allowed him to open his imagination and pour his soul into his art.

There is considerable debate about Duncanson’s work and the intent of his art’s composition. Specifically, academics disagree on whether Duncanson injected racial ideas into his art. All historians agree there is no art without history, and Duncanson created his work before, during, and after the American Civil War. He was engaged with and supported financially by abolitionists, and he shared some of the sentiments of Thomas Cole (painter/environmentalist).

His work may highlight the premise that God’s divine presence is embodied within nature. Perhaps his work is communicating that there is beauty on earth in the here and now, and that there can be peace and coexistence in God’s world.

Duncanson had extensive recognition for his work; he was well compensated for many of pieces. Yet, with all of his accolades, commissions, and exhibitions, his family was not permitted to attend exhibitions to see his work because of their race. Furthermore, my edition of History of Art by H. W. Janson and his son, Anthony F. Janson, does not mention Robert Duncanson. In this particular tome he is an invisible man.

Duncanson’s achievements, accomplishments, and accolades are proof that he is more than worthy of inclusion in all books about western art history. During his lifetime, Duncanson was referred to as the best landscape painter in the American West (theartstory.org). He was instrumental in showcasing the beauty and majesty of North America to the western world.