A 17th-century British portrait at Claydon House, a National Trust property, depicts Mary Lawley and Peregrine Tyam, a Black enslaved attendant whose identity is known—one of the earliest such examples. Historian Hannah Lee published research in British Art Studies revealing new details about Tyam, including a rediscovered letter he wrote in 1699 to his enslaver John Verney, offering rare firsthand insight into the lives of enslaved people in aristocratic households. The portrait, attributed to the little-known artist Lenthall, was commissioned by Verney to mark his marriage in 1692 and shows Tyam wearing a silver collar, a symbol of enslavement.
This discovery matters because it provides an extraordinary, rare example of a Black sitter's own voice and agency within an archive preserved by those who enslaved him. It challenges the historical anonymity of Black figures in British portraiture, highlighting how such works served as status symbols tied to the transatlantic slave trade and institutions like the Royal African Company. The research deepens understanding of the lived experiences of enslaved attendants and the complex social hierarchies of 17th-century England.