Invisible for a long time, black people rarely appeared in European painting before the end of the 18th century, except as secondary figures. It was not until the 19th century that they became subjects in their own right, and some artists took a stand against slavery. But the story does not end there. The colonial gaze and racial stereotypes have continued to permeate the history of art, right up to contemporary debates about the need to rename works containing racist and impersonal terms. Discover how art has both perpetuated and challenged systems of oppression, and how contemporary artists are now transforming these narratives to restore dignity and agency to historically marginalised people.