Who painted A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows?

A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows was painted by William Blake in 1792.

Where can I see A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows?

A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows?

A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows

William Blake , 1792

A Negro hung alive by the Ribs to a Gallows is an ink print by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1792 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1792, this black‑and‑white engraving by William Blake portrays a solitary figure suspended upside down from a gallows by hooks driven through the ribs. The scene is rendered with stark, linear precision, emphasizing the figure’s limp form against a barren ground near a shoreline, while a distant ship and two diminutive figures appear in the background.

Subject & Meaning

The work presents a harrowing image of a Black individual hanging alive, a composition that confronts viewers with themes of violence, oppression, and human suffering. The inclusion of a ship and onlookers suggests a broader social or maritime context, inviting reflection on the historical realities of slavery and the brutal treatment of enslaved peoples during the eighteenth century.

Technique & Style

Executed as an engraving, Blake incised the design onto a metal plate, employing fine, intersecting lines and cross‑hatching to achieve deep shadows and a dramatic contrast between light and dark. The meticulous carving allows for a precise rendering of anatomy and texture, while the overall composition retains the stark, symbolic quality characteristic of Blake’s printmaking.

History & Provenance

Blake, an English poet, painter, and printmaker active in London, produced this piece during a period when his visionary works received little public attention. Though the engraving was not widely circulated in his lifetime, it survives in several museum collections, reflecting its later recognition as part of Blake’s broader oeuvre of socially charged imagery.

Context

The image emerges against the backdrop of the late eighteenth‑century Atlantic slave trade, when Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic economy was at its height. Blake’s choice to depict a Black figure in such a brutal scenario aligns with his occasional engagement with contemporary moral and political issues, offering a visual critique of the era’s inhumanities.