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Eugen von Blaas (1843-1931) studied at the Academies of Rome and Venice and specialised in figure paintings and Venetian genre scenes. His painting style was very sympathetic and he painted females beautifully. He exhibited his work internationally, and showed work in London between 1875 and 1892.

The Von Blass painting after considerable restoration is now on public display at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. It is a magnificent piece of work and one that may raise comments due to the two young black servant boys.

It shows a scene from the carnival in Venice. Usually during the six months of carnival, people acted outrageously. They would disguise themselves with masks so giving themselves an excuse to act however they wanted. In the squares of the city there would be many parades and festivities. The people in this painting are not disguised and do not really look as though they are enjoying themselves fully. This may be out of respect for the older lady that is sitting in mourning clothes. This is the only 19th Century painting in the Wolverhampton Arts and Museum Service collection that shows black people. The two young boys would have been servants to the family. At this time, having overseas servants proved wealth and was a symbol of high society.

‘It was a trend for beautiful young women to have these boys scurrying along. It was a fashion, a very big trend. They were like little dogs really. The women were very much in possession of these well trained little black boys.’

‘They got rid of them when they were older.’

‘It’s interesting that the central figure has got his back to us. He’s talking to the ladies; maybe he has a few words of male wisdom for them.’
‘…or compassion. The older lady is dressed in black, maybe her husband died recently.’

  ‘…the boys in the background, they’re dressed absolutely stunningly. And I was thinking why are they dressed so stunningly? Well, it’s obviously to do with possessions. And the people around them possess the slave boys, it was probably a trend to have little boys.’

‘Normally the most important figures are put in the front and the less important are further back. Why do they need to push the boys to the front? They’re not exactly too close to the front, but the painter is making you know they’re there.’

‘They look as though they’ve been trained. They’re not standing with their backs humped, they’re standing straight and proud.’