This guest blog from Melissa Percival, Associate Dean of Global, and Professor of French, Art History and Visual Culture at the University of Exeter accompanies RAMM’s ‘In Plain Sight’ exhibition.
portrait
Black British history is explored through RAMM’s ‘Portrait of an African’.
Recently, the museum has had to the remarkable privilege of restoring, conserving, and researching some extraordinary wax portraits. No, we’re not talking about candles here. These are full-sized portrait busts from the 16th and 17th century, ornately decorated, gilded, and painted to showcase their sitters’ remarkable features.