The Celebrated Graman Quacy

This engraving was published, in 1796, in John Gabriel Stedman's 'Narrative of a five years expedition against the revolted "Negroes" of Surinam, from the year 1772 to 1777, elucidating the history of that country and describing its productions'.

Suriname, in South America, became a Dutch colony in 1667, after a period of British rule, and was a centre for the Dutch slave trade. Many slaves escaped the brutality of the plantations to form communities in the rain forest. From there, they waged a guerilla war against the Dutch colonists.

Graman Quacy, also known as Kwasi and Quachie, was born on the coast of Guinea, enslaved and brought to Suriname around 1700. He discovered a medicinal root, Quassia amara, which was later named after him. His skills as a healer and diviner made him rich and secured his freedom. Quacy was also employed by plantation managers to help in the fight against escaped slaves. For his services to the colony, he was sent to The Hague for an audience with Willem V, the Prince of Orange, who presented him with a gold medal, and the suit of fine clothes, cane and feathered hat, seen here. It was after Quacy’s return to Suriname from the Netherlands that Stedman drew this portrait of him. It was engraved for Stedman's book by William Blake.

As well as being an engraver, William Blake was a painter and poet. He went on to produce history paintings, watercolours, and was commissioned to engrave illustrations for volumes of poetry, mathematics and medicine. Blake developed a special method of relief-etched illuminated printing. His literary works include 'Visions of the Daughters of Albion' (1793) and 'Songs of Innocence and Experience' (1794).