Apparelled In His White Alb, Saint Remus Gossypium Hirsutum, Stoic Before His Sanguine Colored Buskins

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A painting depicting the central figure of "Saint Remus," standing in a bright, sunny field surrounded by flora and fauna. Remus, depicted as an older Black man, stands gazing at the viewer, wearing all white and with a white-painted face. His garments resemble a mime's with a billowing white smock and loose pants. the smock has a center row of cotton balls as exaggerated buttons. He has receding white hair and his entire face, including lips and eyelids, is covered in white face paint. A black masquerade mask hangs around his neck. A white rooster is perched on his proper right hand, held chest high. A barn owl is perched on his proper left hand, which is inside the pocket of his white smock. At his feet, which are hidden under his white pants, are a pair of red hightop sneakers with white soles and toe caps.

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