Rishi Sunak is currently reviewing a King James II portrait that was displayed in Rishi’s Drawing Room at 11 Downing Street. This review is due to it’s links to the slavery trade.
In a room used for formal receptions, the 17-century painting rests over a fireplace at the official residence of Chancellor.
The Government Art Collection will conduct an historical “interrogation” of the Stuart King’s connection with the Royal African Company. This company was responsible for the shipping of large numbers African slaves to America.
These slaves suffered severe dehydration, dysentery, and skin cancer while being kept on board ships.
James was the Duke of York, and then king. The company had exclusive rights to British trade with West Africa. This included gold and silver.
Due to its connections to slavery trade, Rishi Sunak has a portrait of King James II on display at Rishi’s drawing room at 11, Downing Street.
It hangs over a fireplace in the official residence of the Chancellor, where it is used as a place for formal receptions. Due to Stuart King’s links to Royal African Company (which was responsible for shipping large amounts of slaves from Africa into the Americas), the Government Art Collection will ‘interrogate’ the painting.
The company kept its monopoly up to 1698, and continued trading in slaves through 1731.
According to The Telegraph’s sources, Mr Sunak requested the portrait by John Michael Wright in 1660 to be installed inside the drawing room. This was during the summer rehang of Government-owned art.
GAC artifacts are featured in UK Government buildings throughout the UK, and worldwide.
This collection was created to encourage British art and cultural diplomacy.
This vast collection, which began in 1898, now contains over 14,000 works. They are mostly works of British artists working in many media.
It is thought that Mr Sunak asked John Michael Wright to paint the portrait of him circa 1660, and to install it in his drawing room as part of a summer rehanging Government-owned art.
The GAC is now part of the Department of Digital Culture Media and Sport and plans to conduct an historical “interrogation” to uncover ‘hidden stories’ within its many thousands of artworks.
The review was instigated under the leadership of GAC’s director, Penny Johnson, who unveiled a £50,000 commission earlier this year to look into ‘colonialism’ earmarked for display in official British buildings around the world.
The Chancellor is likely to make changes to the artwork in Number 11, but it’s believed the GAC can help to select pieces to any rehang requests by politicians.
Although King James II’s portrait interpretation is currently under review, it will not be removed due to Government policy that’retain or explain’ potentially controversial items rather than removing them.
The Telegraph received a statement from the GAC stating that “The reinterpretation will provide an opportunity to reflect, interrogation and challenge” and in accordance with Government policies on “retaining and explaining”.
“In keeping with the position of the Government, the GAC is not going to remove any artifacts.”