Portrait of a Man in a Red Suit

In 1931 Gooden and Fox purchased this painting at an auction at Christie’s where it was attributed to Sir Joshua Reynolds. On the same day it passed to Percy Moore Turner. On 1 May 1943 Turner donated the work to RAMM presumably due to Reynold’s association to Devon.

Since this date, the work has had many titles, suggested sitters and artists. Despite being the most extensively researched painting in the collection at RAMM, Portrait of a Man in a Red Suit still provokes many questions.

In 1961 William Fagg, a curator at the British Museum, suggested that the sitter was Olaudah Equiano (1745–1797). This identification was based on a resemblance to the portrait engraving that forms the frontispiece of Equiano’s autobiography. A former curator at RAMM suggested Ignatius Sancho (about 1729-1780) as the sitter. They were both freed people who had significant roles in London society and the abolitionist movement in the late 1700s. Both identifications have been discredited as the likenesses are unconvincing. The debate continues.

As the sitter’s identity is still unknown, RAMM made the decision to retitle the work, formerly known as Portrait of an African, in 2023.

This artwork has an extended record on RAMM’s Collections Explorer website. It includes all the information RAMM has, such as detailed photographs, records of conservation treatments, analysis, exhibition history and discussion of the artist and sitter.

You can buy a high-quality print of this work from Art UK.

Visual description: A formal portrait of a Black man depicted against a dark, neutral background. The subject is dressed in 18th century clothing: a red coat with several buttons and a white shirt with a high collar visible at the neck. His expression is calm and composed, with a direct gaze towards the viewer. His hair is tied back.