In the 18th and 19th centuries, the silhouette gained importance both as an economical method of portraiture and as a popular means of visual expression. In this period, the silhouette was often used to document the lives, families and social status of middle and upper class whites. Auguste Edouart, as one of the leading figures of silhouette art, documented the social structure and individuals of the period with his silhouettes. Today, contemporary artists such as Kara Walker reinterpret the silhouette technique to question the historical context and make social criticism. With her large-scale silhouette compositions, Walker deepens discussions on race, gender and power relations, inviting the viewer to confront the traumas of the past. Combining the simple technique of silhouettes with complex themes, Walker has transformed this traditional technique by combining it with contemporary painting. In Walker's works, the silhouette, made with exquisite craftsmanship, appears before the viewer as a powerful form of expression that questions the traumas of the past, especially the history of slavery and its effects on the present. This research examines the historical development of the silhouette and how artists from two different periods used this technique.
Keywords: Silhouette, Auguste Edouart, Kara Walker