Anon: Portrait of a Young Slave in Republican Costume (c.1793). He wears an enslaved collar, tricolore suit, and hat with a republican cockade. Reworked with workwear jacket, loofah and handkerchief. Rediscovering #blackportraiture through #gettymuseumchallenge. #gettychallenge 
This image was created to celebrate the values of the French Revolution. The boy’s fez has been elongated to resemble the Phrygian cap. The Phrygian cap, also called the liberty cap, signifies freedom and the pursuit of liberty.
Slavery was abolished in France on February 4, 1794. The decree stated: “The Convention declares the slavery of the blacks abolished in all the colonies; consequently all men irrespective of colour living in the colonies are French citizens and shall enjoy all the rights
provided by the Constitution.” Unfortunately, none of the implementing measures were taken, and slavery was reinstated by a decree of July 16, 1802, while Napoleon Bonaparte was First Consul. It was definitively abolished by a decree of April 27, 1848.
(Info from Library of Congress)
