“What a striking difference exists in many respects between the rosy-cheeked milkmaid of London, and this, her stable sister of the milk-way of Kingston – in dress, manner, and complexion how dissimilar!” (123)
Isaac Mendes Belisario was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1795. He trained with famous artist Robert Hills. Belisario is famous for his series of lithographic prints: Sketches of Character. The image above is known as the Milkwoman. This lithograph shows us that racist London criers affirmed and naturalized blacks as ugly and dirty people, and considered whites as beautiful and healthy people. In regards to the image, Belissario states: “What a striking difference exists in many respects between the rosy-cheeked milkmaid of London, and this, her stable sister of the milk-way of Kingston – in dress, manner, and complexion how dissimilar!” This quote shows us a lot. The Milkmaid of Kingston is showed as some dirty lady, who has big feet, and wheres no shoes. People of colored were not considered the same as whites. Whites looked down upon them. The whites thought that they were better, prettier, and pretty much more perfect. Belisario’s drawing give us an idea of what the general view of blacks was, and shows us how little respect the whites had for them. Overall, Belisario’s lithographs give us viewers “amusement” based on mimicry.
