The Moor: Images In Art, Literature, Theatre, And Film
Upon entering room 155 in the European Art section of the Philadelphia Art Museum, you are immediately captivated by a remarkable painting that stands out. This artwork, titled "The Moorish Chief," is truly mesmerizing. The painting's impact comes from its depiction of a powerful black man from the past, dressed in a white cloak and wielding a sword. The background features the renowned Islamic architecture of Spain, the Alhambra. The Moors, in a nearly forgotten era, invaded Europe and ruled over Spain for 700 years. Structures like the Alhambra serve as enduring monuments and reminders of their presence. What is particularly astonishing about the painting is how it challenges the traditional narratives we've learned about Africans in history. We were taught that they were either savages or slaves, yet here we stand, gazing in awe at this "Moorish Chief."
The painting was crafted by Austrian artist Eduard Charlemont and was first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1878. "Moorish Chief" is part of the Orientalism artistic style that captivated the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with many European artists finding everything related to the East fashionable. Orientalism is not without criticism. On one side, there is valid critique that argues many images were stereotypes of lustful Muslim men surrounded by harems of exploited female slaves. These one-dimensional images often remain stuck in the past and do not fully represent the entirety of Muslim life. Critics rightly note that this narrow view of Muslims was used similarly to the "terrorist" label today, to justify imperialism and war. Conversely, many, particularly within the black community, visit The Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Oriental-style painting "Moorish Chief" as evidence that African people had a rich and powerful history before the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
Eduard Charlemont was by no means the most renowned or prolific among Orientalist painters; in fact, his "Moorish Chief" marked a departure from his usual style. A quick Google search on Orientalism will reveal the names of many other artists, such as Rudolph Ernst and Ludwig Deutsch. Both Ernst and Deutsch hailed from Austria and were trained at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. They traveled to regions like the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain in search of subjects to study and paint. As a collective, Orientalist artists often depicted the Moors in various ways. Sometimes, the Black Moor is portrayed at the bottom of the social hierarchy, as seen with the servant in Ludwig Deutsch's "The Treasure Chest."
In other instances, the Black Moor is depicted as a noble at the top of the hierarchical ladder, illustrating a clear shift in the power dynamic, as seen in another painting by Deustch titled "News of the Sudan." In this artwork, the Black Moor is portrayed in a position of authority, reclining on the ottoman while being read a report. Images like "News of the Sudan" captivated the imagination of the black community in the United States.
Other paintings depict the Black Moor as a learned scholar, a man of great intellect, as seen in another painting by Deutsch titled "The Philosopher." This should not surprise anyone, as learned Black men from Timbuktu in West Africa to Cordova, Spain, were common during the Middle Ages. While Europe struggled through the Dark Ages, libraries in Cordova and Timbuktu housed thousands of books, both written and studied. The stereotypical image of a dark, unenlightened, uncivilized Africa and the ignorant slave must first reconcile with the image presented in Deutsch's "The Philosopher" and Rudolf Ernst's "La Lecture."
Ludwig Deutsch - The Philosopher
Rudolf Ernst - La Lecture
Not all depictions of the Black Moor portrayed them as nobles or servants. When discussing slavery, it's important to note that while slavery certainly existed in Muslim countries, it wasn't based on race as it was in America. A slave could be black or white. Some Orientalist paintings depict an egalitarian view, showing the Arab or "Tawny Moor" and the "Black Moor" as equals. This is evident in the painting titled Outside a Café, where they are depicted as equals, sitting on the ground, engaged in conversation and smoking hookah. This egalitarian aspect is also present in Enrico Tarenghi's painting Leaving Prayers, where men of all colors are portrayed as equals in these remarkable artworks.
Certain Oriental paintings depict Black Moorish nobles dressed in elegant attire, indulging in everyday luxuries like drinking coffee, smoking hookah, and playing chess. These historical images contrast sharply with contemporary perceptions of Black individuals being linked to slavery or poverty.
Edwin Lord Weeks - A Game of Chess in Cairo Street
Charles Bargue - An Oriental Coffee House
Discart Jean - The Arab Smoker
For many Orientalist painters, the image of the Black Moor as a formidable warrior remained vivid in the collective memory of Europeans long after the Moors had invaded Spain and Italy. A significant number of Oriental paintings depict the Black Moor as either a guard or a warrior, equal in strength to European knights. These powerful images from the past, portraying black men in positions of strength and authority, continue to captivate audiences. The Orientalist portrayal of the Black Moor's physical prowess is not entirely surprising, as similar attention is still given today to black athletes like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Usain Bolt. For the black community, which has faced enslavement, historical erasure, deprivation of rights, and marginalization, these contrasting images of the Black Moor as powerful, honorable, and intellectual offer a sense of redemption.
Ludwig Deutsch - The Palace Guard
Ludwig Deutsch - The Nubian Guard
Carl Haag - Abdullah, Chief of Said Pasha's Bodyguard
Eduard Charlemont - The Moorish Chief
Who exactly were the Moors? Why don't we know more about them? Few topics have been more debated, with the possible exception of discussions about the race of the Egyptians.
The Moors were a diverse group of people originating from the Middle East, North Africa, and West Africa. As highlighted by Dr. Ivan Van Sertima and others in the groundbreaking 1992 book "Golden Age of The Moor," the skin color of the Moors varied widely, ranging from a medium "tawny" brown to an "ebony black." However, in recent years, the Moors have often been incorrectly depicted solely as fair-skinned Arabs. Van Sertima, Runoko Rashidi, and others have presented compelling arguments that justly restore the Black Moor to his rightful place in history. In fact, the word "Moor" itself means black.
The etymology of the word "Moor" originates from the Greek word "mauri" and the Latin word "maurus," both of which translate to "black." In Spanish, "moreno" still refers to a black person, and "mora" means a blackberry. In German, "mohrenkopf" is used to describe a type of chocolate candy. The common name "Maurice" means "like a Moor."
Some suggested that the origin of the word Moor was connected to the ancient Moabites. Others in more unconventional circles have associated the term moor with the legendary lost continent of Mu, and still others with a lesser-known name for Egypt, also referred to as Ta-Merry. Regardless of which origin of the word Moor is accurate, it appears that early on, it was linked to dark-skinned people. William Shakespeare clearly perceived the Moors as black, as he envisioned the role of Othello with a black person in mind, quoting Shakespeare's own words:
"even now, now, very now, an old black ram. is tupping your white ewe."
Othello Act One, Scene One
Just as the standard history books have whitewashed the Moors, the role of Othello in William Shakespeare's plays would also undergo a similar whitewashing, despite the greatness of his works.
Although Othello was recognized as black, the racism of the era permitted only a white actor in blackface to portray the role. Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier were given forgettable roles. The concern was to avoid a black actor being too close to a white actress, clearly missing Shakespeare's anti-racism message. Eventually, good sense prevailed, and black actors were finally allowed to play Othello, with Ira Aldridge being the first. Paul Robeson and James Earl Jones have all brought honor to the role of Othello, while Laurence Fishburne magnificently portrayed the Black Moor in film.
Most people are familiar with European colonialism in South America, Africa, and Asia and the resulting damage it caused, but few know that Europe itself was once invaded and colonized by the Moors. A general named Tarikh and his Moorish warriors invaded Spain and defeated the Visigoths in 711 AD. The Moors remained in Spain from 711 to 1492 AD, an impressive 700 years. Unlike European imperialism, which left Africa, South America, and the Caribbean in worse conditions, the Moors brought civilization to Europe during the Dark Ages. Before this period, Greek civilization built philosophy and science on the foundations of Ancient Egypt, and the Romans developed their civilization based on the Greeks. However, Rome was sacked by Germanic barbarian tribes from the North, who had little regard for philosophy and sciences. The once-great European civilizations fell into cultural amnesia, with rising illiteracy, few libraries, ruined Roman aqueducts, and even bathing considered sinful. This Europe is vastly different from the Western dominance we know today. The irony of the Moorish invasion is that the invaders actually civilized Europe. As Dr. Van Sertima often noted, most invasions bring destruction; however, the Moorish invasion brought enlightenment. At that time, the Islamic world, stretching from Baghdad in the Middle East to Timbuktu in West Africa and reaching Spain in Southern Europe, was a center of higher learning.
The Moors are recognized for reviving education by translating the ancient works of Greek philosophers initially into Arabic and subsequently into Latin. This process brought back the knowledge of the ancient world that had been lost. Consequently, numerous libraries and universities were established throughout Spain, along with the many Moorish castles scattered across the region. The Moors also reintroduced the practice of bathing by opening public bathhouses.
The Moors introduced chess from India to Europeans and replaced Roman numerals with the Indian numerals we use today. They brought innovations to ocean navigation, such as ocean maps, astrolabes, and caravel ships with lateen sails, paving the way for the European Age of Exploration. It is a lesser-known fact that both Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama had Moors on their ships. The Moors introduced fruits like oranges, lemons, bananas, and sugar—a word derived from the Indian word "sakkar"—as well as candy, from the Arabic word "qand." They are credited with introducing algebra concepts to Europe; the term "algebra" itself originates from the Arabic word "al-jabar," meaning "to take apart." A Black Moor named Al Jahiz wrote "Kitab Al Hayawan" (Book of Animals), where he theorized about the environment's role in developing skin color and an animal's survival chances based on its habitat, anticipating Charles Darwin by 1,000 years. One of the more intriguing Black Moors was a musician who sparked a cultural revolution in Europe, with effects that are still felt today.
Ludwig Deutsch - The Musician
Ziryab, whose nickname was the "black bird" due to his dark skin and melodious singing, was akin to a modern pop star. Whatever he did soon became fashionable, and people eagerly followed his lead. He introduced the idea of serving meals in courses, starting with soup and salad, followed by the main dish, and ending with dessert. Ziryab also popularized wearing bright colors during Spring and Summer, and darker shades in Fall and Winter, customs that persist today. He was also credited with introducing hygienic practices such as toothpaste and deodorant. In terms of music, the Moors brought new instruments to Europe, like the lute and qitara, which eventually evolved into the guitar.
For some, the idea of black men holding positions of power in European history is overwhelming. These individuals often reject the notion that humanity originated in Africa or that Ancient Egypt had African roots. When they finally recognize the undeniable presence of Black Moors in Europe, they are often dismissed merely as slaves, despite evidence showing they were present in all levels of society. This is evident in the artwork created by Europeans during the Middle Ages. While one might argue that Orientalist painters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are far removed from the time when the Moors actually ruled, it is much more difficult to dispute the paintings of Moors from the Middle Ages or references to Black Moors in early European literature. For instance, in the oldest French poem, The Song of Roland, the Moors are described as "black as melted pitch" and "blacker than the blackest ink."
Middle Age painting of Moors and Europeans in battle.
Middle Age painting of Moors and Europeans in battle.
Painting of a Black Moor and European playing the Lute
To still deny the presence of the Black Moor in Middle Age Europe or even to insist on regulating him as a slave ignoring his representation in art and literature only smacks of Eurocentric foolishness.
The influence of the Moors was vividly remembered by Europeans in the Middle Ages, as they often incorporated symbolic victories over them into their coat-of-arms. J.A. Rogers, a writer from the Harlem Renaissance, reveals in his book "Nature Knows No Color Line" the presence of numerous Black Moor heads in European heraldry. These depictions suggest either that the Moors intermarried with Europeans, becoming part of their lineage, or that the coat-of-arms symbolizes triumphs over them. Notably, Pope Benedict XVI's coat-of-arms includes a Black Moor head.
Pope Benedict XVI Coat-of-arms with the Black Moors head.
Pope Benedict XVI coat-of-arm with Black Moor head in background
In a painting with Oriental influences by Spanish artist Marcelino de Unceta y Lopez, the final defeat of the Moors in Granada is depicted. The painting is titled "El suspiro del moro," which translates to "Sigh of the Moor." It shows the Moorish king Boabdil retreating with his army, contemplating how the Moors once ruled Spain but have now lost everything. Notably, Unceta, a Spanish artist, chose to represent the Moorish king and his army as entirely black. What is striking, yet unnoticed by some, is that in the collective memory of many Europeans from the past, there was no issue acknowledging the presence of Black Moors in history. Only recently has the narrative of slavery overshadowed the image of the Black Moor as a ruler.
Marcelino de Unceta y Lopez - Sigh of the Moor
I think the two events that probably preserved the memory of the Moor in the minds of many Black Americans are the 1992 publication of Ivan Van Sertima's edited volume, "Golden Age of The Moor," featuring outstanding essays by authors such as Runoko Rashidi, James Brunson, John G. Jackson, Wayne Chandler, Dana Reynolds, Jose V. Pimienta-Bey, Jan Carew, Yusef Ali, Edward Scobie, and others.
On the late Dr. Ivan Van Sertima's website, copies of "Golden Age of The Moor" from the Journal of African Civilizations are frequently sold out. On Amazon.com, if you are fortunate enough to locate a used copy, the price can sometimes reach $1,000.00, and that is not a mistake. In terms of popularizing the Moors and raising public awareness, the esteemed scholar Dr. Ivan Van Sertima is second only to the early black nationalist Timothy Drew, also known as Noble Drew Ali.
Noble Drew Ali was a contemporary of the Jamaican Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey. He established the Moorish Science Temple of America in Newark, New Jersey, around 1913. Ali emphasized that black people, whom he referred to as Moors, originated in the East before coming to the West. His teachings combined elements of Islam, Gnostic Christianity, Freemasonry, and Black History. Ali played a significant role in bringing attention to the largely unknown history of the Moors within the black community. His efforts to create a new identity for black people beyond the legacy of slavery preceded the work of the more renowned Elijah Muhammad and his disciple Malcolm X.
As an experienced high school history teacher who has worked in public schools for many years, I have observed that in classrooms nationwide, the significant role the Moors played in leading Europe out of the Dark Ages and igniting the European Renaissance and Age of Exploration is often underemphasized. Additionally, the fact that these Moors included a large population of Black Moors is even less highlighted. While the stories of Harriet Tubman and Henry "Box" Brown are important and should remain, it is time to bring the story of the Moors out of obscurity and courageously connect it with our own history.
Suggested Reading:
Ivan Van Sertima, Golden Age of the Moor, 1992, Transaction Publishing.
Runoko Rashidi, Black Star: The African Presence in Early Europe, 2011, Books of Africa.
Stanley Lane-Poole, The Story of the Moors in Spain, 1886.
Joshua Hammer, The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race To Save The World's Most Precious Manuscripts, 2016, Simon and Schuster.
John M. Hobson, The Eastern Origins of Western Civilisation, 2004, Cambridge University Press.
John G Jackson, Introduction to African Civilizations, 2001, Citadel Press.
J.A. Rogers, Nature Knows No Color Line, 1952.
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