Pepys, slavery and censorship

26 March 2026

A painted portrait of Samuel Pepys with long, wavy hair wearing a brown robe and a white neck cloth. The person is shown from the waist up, standing against a dark background, holding a small sheet of paper in one hand. The brushwork highlights the folds of the clothing and the texture of the hair.

National Portrait Gallery London: Samuel Pepys by John Hayls (Oil on canvas, 1666)

Samuel Pepys carefully curated evidence of his links to slavery. A new study reveals how and why.

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