Review: Portrait of an Island: The Architecture and Material Culture of Gorée, Sénégal, 1758–1837, by Mark Hinchman

Scholarly research on the Island of Gorée, Senegal, challenges popular narratives by revealing that the number of slaves transiting through this early modern port was in the low thousands, not millions as often claimed. Despite its small size and limited slave trade volume, Gorée emerged as a significant commercial hub under French control (1677), with extensive mercantile ties to Europe, the Americas, and Indian Ocean islands like Mauritius and Réunion. Mark Hinchman's work, Portrait of an Island, meticulously examines the island's architecture and material culture from 1758 to 1837, providing a nuanced understanding of its role in transatlantic trade networks and African architectural exchanges.

Carey, D. (2017). Review: Portrait of an Island: The Architecture and Material Culture of Gorée, Sénégal, 1758–1837, by Mark Hinchman. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 76(3), 387–389. https://doi.org/10.1525/jsah.2017.76.3.387