Dunham Massey Hall sundial
The Dunham Massey Hall sundial is a lead sculpture depicting a kneeling Black man holding a sundial on his head. It was created during the early 18th century, and is variously attributed to Andries Carpentière and Jan van Nost.
Close to the sculpture is a plaque containing the words: “This sundial is in the style of one commissioned by King William III. It represents Africa, one of four continents known at the time. The figure depicts a Moor, not a slave, and he has knelt here since before 1750.”
The sculpture has been described as a degrading depiction of its subject, apparently a caricature called a blackamoor. It was removed from its location outside the National Trust-owned Dunham Massey Hall in June 2020 amid a global wave of statue removals during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.
