Researchers in London have identified the enslaved Black child depicted alongside Royal Navy Lieutenant Paul Henry Ourry in an 18th-century portrait by celebrated painter Joshua Reynolds. Previously uncertain whether the boy even existed, historians have now confirmed his name as Boston Jersey—later baptized George Walker—through ship logs, crew records, and government archives. Born around 1737, Boston Jersey traveled with Ourry on three ships over five years, eventually rising to the rank of able seaman. The last historical record of him dates to 1753 in Menorca. Scientific analysis of the painting, including X-rays and infrared scans, revealed that Reynolds made several changes to the composition, and that Jersey was likely not painted from life during a sitting. Historians believe the discovery helps restore agency and visibility to a real individual whose life had been largely forgotten for centuries.
CNN