Wilfried Louis – Guede (ca 2000, Acrylic on canvas, 25×20 cm), a Voodoo character and frequently returning subject matter in Haitian paintings
Ever since my years in Haiti I have been fascinated by Haitian paintings. However, we found early on that we had an expensive taste, so although we have built up a nice – and very personal – collection, the real big names, ‘first generation’ and the lot, have stayed out of reach. On this page I have brought together some of my personal favourites, of which the occasional painting comes from our collection, but most of them have been found on the internet, or in the galleries. Needless to say, I could have included hundreds of paintings, but I have limited myself to 25, all of them chosen entirely because I like them – this is thus not an attempt to show an objective overview of Haitian art, just a totally subjective ‘my favourites’.
back to the Haiti Diaries: Jeremie
Castera Bazile – The Procession (Acrylic on canvas, 48×66 cm)
Castera Bazile – Funeral procession (Acrylic on canvas), funerals also being a favourite amongst the ‘first generation’
Castera Bazile – Cemetery (1952, Masonite, 24×20”)
Edgar Jean Baptiste – The Lice Picker (1975)
Senique Obin – Moon Fishing (c.1946, Cardboard, 18×24”)
Senique Obin – Fisherman’s Catch (c.1965)
Philome Obin – Quatre miserable fusilles innocemment (Oil on wood, 61×76 cm), occasionally a political subject appears amongst the paintings
Carlo Saint Jacques – Mother and Child (Acrylic on canvas, 102×76 cm)
Carlo Saint Jacques – Garcons de Rue (Acrylic on canvas, 12×16”)
Luckner Lazard – Jour de Lessive (Acrylic on canvas, 81×152 cm)
Luckner Lazard – Paysage (Oil on canvas,
30×61 cm)
Edgar Jean Baptiste – Country Life (1970, masonite, 18×20”)
Edgar Jean Baptiste – Cemetiere de Bainet (1970, Acrylic on board, 26×20 cm)
Antonio Joseph – Le Marchand de Fruits (Oil on canvas, 61×76 cm)
Antonio Joseph – Marche de Fer
Charles Obas – Men at Work (Acrylic on board, 30×41 cm), and one of the artists we could have bought, occasionally, in January: I still regret myself
Charles Obas – Ra-ra band (Oil on canvas, 12×14”)
Descollines Manes – Boy with Lamb (Acrylic on board, 20×25 cm)
Descollines Manes – La Petite Fille et la Poupee (Acrylic on canvas, 76×46 cm)
Descollines Manes – La Partage (1980, Acrylic on wood, 40×31.5 cm)
Descollines Manes – Goat Tender
Louverture Poisson – Case Paysanne (1973, Oil on canvas, 62×76 cm)
Edgar Jean Baptiste – Praying to Baron Samedi for a successful cockfight(1963, masonite, 18×16”)
