조제프 말로드 윌리엄 터너의 <노예선>은 인간 경험의 극적이고 감정적인 측면을 포착 하는 사례다. 1840년에 완성된 이 작품은 격렬한 폭풍 속에서 노예가 된 아프리카인들이 배 에서 밖으로 던져지는 비인간적인 장면을 묘사한다. 또한 이 작품은 대서양 횡단 노예무역의 잔인성과 경제적 이익을 위한 인간 착취의 윤리적 의미에 대한 회화적 증언이다. 그러나 노 예무역의 열악한 환경은 종 호 사건은 물론 노예무역을 둘러싼 복잡한 법적 문제를 발생시 켰다. 본 연구는 <노예선>이 ‘노예제 폐지’나 ‘노예무역폐지’와 같은 사안들과 결합하는 과정 에서 파생되는 메시지를 어떻게 시각적으로 형상화시키고 있는지를 사회사적 관점에서 분석 한다. 이를 통해 노예제도에 함축된 정치경제적 맥락과 작가의 조형 의식 형성 간의 관계성 을 조명하여 터너의 작품 세계에 대한 기존의 인식론적 지형도를 확장시키는데 집중한다.

This article aims to explore John Wesley’s position upon the slave trade and slavery in England of the 18th century and his influences on the campaign for ending the slave trade and slavery. John Wesley, as a leader of awakening movement, was concerned with the personal conversion and the revival of faith and church. Regarding his social and political position, he as a Tory was royal to the english monarch and was against American Independence. Accordingly, he has been seen as conservative in terms of social perspective. It has sometimes caused the speculation that John Wesley was not interested in ending the salve trade and slavery, which is one of the greatest atrocities of civilization at his times. That is the case with the founder of North American Liberation theology and a leading Methodist theologian, James Cone. It is really ironic that he wrote, “The Wesley that has come to us seems very white and quite British, and that ain’t no good for black people who know that the Englishmen are the scoundrels who perfected the slave trade,” and indicated, “one does not get the impression that slavery was one of the burning issues on Wesley’ mind.” Actually, the early mission to Georgia in America brought John Wesley into direct contact with black slaves there. Since then, his concern about the slave trade and slavery had not disappeared in his mind, even though he more concentrated himself on the revival movement ignited by his own conversion. We can find out his criticism upon the slave trade and slavery in his Journals and Diaries, letters, and his Writings. Especially, his tract “Thought upon Slavery,” which partly drew on some writings by Anthony Benezet and Granville Sharp, had a great influence upon the methodists and mass. In his small book, he harshly criticized the slave trade and slavery itself as sum of all inhumane evils. His criticism was based not only on the Bible, but also on the general natural law and justice. Besides, he encouraged some leader of antislavery campaign to continue to do his action. Among these was included William Wilberforce, who spent a lifetime passing the bill for abolishing the slave trade and slavery through Parliament. After death of John Wesley, his follower and methodists still supported William Wilberforce to achieve his goal.