Smith Art Gallery & Museum | Details

Sidebar content	Main content
Actions Displays	A Cuban Cigarette Remove from selection Add to selection Reproduction Download mediaDownload as zip file Object number08013 TitleA Cuban Cigarette Creator Thomas Stuart Smith (Artist)‎ DescriptionA Cuban Cigarette was painted in 1869 by Thomas Stuart Smith – the founder of what is today the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum. A prolific artist and abolitionist, there are three surviving portraits of black men by Stuart Smith in our collection. This intimate portrait is the smallest of the three but no less striking. It shines with the warmth of the colours so reminiscent of Cuba itself – the yellow scarf nestles against the man’s red jacket, which in turn sits against a background of warm ochre. It is possible that his white cotton shirt is the Guayabera, a traditional Cuban garment. It was most likely painted in London using a model from North Africa. By choosing a black man as the central figure for his work, Stuart Smith was affirming his support for the abolition of slavery. At this time black people were more often painted as servants – lost in his thoughts and with a proud set to his shoulders, the subject is very much his own man. Perhaps it is no surprise that he has chosen to portray the man smoking a cigarette. By the time the Spanish first explored Cuba in the late 15th century, the local people had been smoking tobacco – which they called cohiba – for centuries. As the demand for tobacco spread it became a profitable crop and Cuba became famous world-wide for its quality cigars and cigarettes. Production date 1869 Object namePainting, Oil Painting Black History, Painting MaterialOil/Canvas Dimensions image Height: 670 mm image Width: 560 mm frame Height: 875 mm frame Width: 775 mm

Reproduction

Download mediaDownload as zip file

Object number08013

TitleA Cuban Cigarette

DescriptionA Cuban Cigarette was painted in 1869 by Thomas Stuart Smith – the founder of what is today the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum. A prolific artist and abolitionist, there are three surviving portraits of black men by Stuart Smith in our collection. This intimate portrait is the smallest of the three but no less striking. It shines with the warmth of the colours so reminiscent of Cuba itself – the yellow scarf nestles against the man’s red jacket, which in turn sits against a background of warm ochre. It is possible that his white cotton shirt is the Guayabera, a traditional Cuban garment. It was most likely painted in London using a model from North Africa. By choosing a black man as the central figure for his work, Stuart Smith was affirming his support for the abolition of slavery. At this time black people were more often painted as servants – lost in his thoughts and with a proud set to his shoulders, the subject is very much his own man. Perhaps it is no surprise that he has chosen to portray the man smoking a cigarette. By the time the Spanish first explored Cuba in the late 15th century, the local people had been smoking tobacco – which they called cohiba – for centuries. As the demand for tobacco spread it became a profitable crop and Cuba became famous world-wide for its quality cigars and cigarettes.

Production date 1869

Object namePainting, Oil Painting

Black History, Painting

MaterialOil/Canvas

Dimensions

image Height: 670 mm
image Width: 560 mm
frame Height: 875 mm
frame Width: 775 mm