# The Captive Slave (Ira Aldridge), in 19th-century Britain

John Philip Simpson painted this in 1827, aged 45. It is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.

From the museum's label:

> This painting by John Philip Simpson is both a powerful abolitionist statement and a striking portrait of the celebrated Shakespearean actor Ira Aldridge. A freeborn American, Aldridge became the first Black man to play Othello on the London stage in 1833.

_Text from the Art Institute of Chicago._

[Read the full label](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-captive-slave-ira-aldridge-aic-193664#about-work)

## The work

- Date: 1827
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 127 × 101.5 cm (50 × 40 in.); Framed: 167.1 × 141.7 cm (65 3/4 × 55 3/4 in.)
- Type: Painting
- Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2008.188
- Licence: CC0 1.0

## The artist

[John Philip Simpson](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/john-philip-simpson), English, 1782–1847

1 works in the collection.

## Walk on

- [John Philip Simpson's contemporaries](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/artist/contemporaries-of-john-philip-simpson?hang=749) (8 works)
- [More Georgian Britain](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/style/georgian-britain?hang=749) (63 works)
- [The 19th century](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/era/19?hang=749) (731 works)

## Get it

- [Print this work](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-captive-slave-ira-aldridge-aic-193664#print)
- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/347.jpg?dl=1
- [The work's page](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-captive-slave-ira-aldridge-aic-193664)