A poet’s response to Carpeaux’s “Why Born Enslaved!“ | MetCollects

In this video, Wendy S. Walters recites the poem she wrote in response to Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux’s sculpture “Why Born Enslaved!“, which was recently acquired by The Met. In it, she confronts the power dynamics at play in creating and viewing a work of art that depicts an enslaved woman of African descent, and she wonders about the identity and status of the model who posed for Carpeaux. Featured Artwork: “Why Born Enslaved!“ Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux Modeled 1868, carved 1873 Marble Purchase, The Wallace Foundation, Wrightsman Fellows Gifts, and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation Gift, 2019 MetCollects introduces highlights of works of art recently acquired by The Met through gifts and purchases. Discover a new work each month.