Portrait of Alexander Dumas 1829

Achille Devéria made this drawing of Alexander Dumas in France, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The image captures the confidence and romantic spirit that made Dumas famous. But to really see this image, we have to understand the society that shaped it. In post-revolutionary France, class and race were crucial markers of social status, and determined the limits of opportunity. Dumas was of mixed heritage, his father being a white French aristocrat and his mother of African descent. Despite facing racial prejudice, Dumas rose to prominence as a writer, challenging social norms and class boundaries through his adventure novels. This portrait would have been a statement in itself. By depicting Dumas as a sophisticated, intellectual figure, Devéria acknowledged Dumas's accomplishments, defying conventional societal expectations. As art historians, we can delve deeper by exploring the visual culture of 19th-century France, studying its literary scene, and examining the artist's biography to better understand the complex dialogue between art, identity, and social change.