Belton House: Rare portrait on display for Black History Month

The painting on display at Belton House with Alice Rylance-Watson and Charlotte Holmes from the National Trust

A rare portrait has gone on display at Belton House near Grantham to celebrate Black History Month.

New research has discovered the identity of the artist and the sitter in the painting, titled Seated Man in a Landscape, the National Trust said.

The artwork is an oil painting of Lucian Levers by artist Richmond Barthé, according to the trust.

Curator Alice Rylance-Watson said it was "fantastic" to acknowledge the painter and sitter for the first time.

The artwork was painted in the 1950s in Jamaica, where Mr Barthé lived from 1949 to 1969.

He was the only professional black artist living in the country at the time, a spokesperson for the organisation said.

'Delighted' at discovery

Mr Levers was employed by the painter as a helper at his studio in St Ann Parish and became a favourite model, appearing in several paintings and sculptures.

Ms Rylance-Watson discovered who created the artwork after she noticed that the signature on the painting had been incorrectly transcribed.

She identified the sitter after examining research by art historian Margaret Rose Vendryes.

"We are delighted to be able to identify Lucian Levers as the sitter as it can be difficult to name black individuals who appear in historic portraits, chiefly because of a lack of documentation," she said.

"Barthé is best known as a sculptor, so it is great to showcase this rare oil, painted at an important transitional point in the artist's career."

The artwork is part of the Belton House collection and the organisation believes it was acquired by Perry Cust, 6th Baron Brownlow of Belton, who built a holiday home in northern Jamaica.