Haitian art has evolved over time from the indigenous Taino Indians to modern styles. Early art focused on decoration of buildings for wealthy patrons. The 1943 arrival of Dewitt Peters is seen as starting the Haitian Renaissance by opening an art school. Notable artists from this period include Hyppolite, Obin, Benoit, and Bezile. Modern Haitian art is divided into "naive" and "modern" styles, with modern artists having more training abroad. Religious and rural themes depicting happiness remain popular in Haitian art today.

1. HAITIAN ART
CEDRIC TAYLOR EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY

2. OPENING VIDEO
A short video to serve as an introduction to Haitian history, culture and art

3. Contents
◦ Preface
◦ Early Haitian Art
◦ Haitian Renaissance
◦ Modern Art
◦ Conclusion
◦ References
◦

4. Preface
The following presentation will serve as a chronological timeline of dominant art forms in Haitian
culture. Its purpose is to outline the roots and origins of Haiti’s eclectic art and storied past. This
presentation contains depictions of art dating from the 1800s to present. All pictures and
information contained in this presentation are accredited in the references.

5. Early Haitian Art
◦ Historically the earliest forms of Haitian art was in the form of wall painting made by the
indigenous Taino Indians
◦ Taino Indians painted elaborate painting on their dwellings, in caves, and on their bodies
◦ It is widely believed that much of Taino art is not widely influenced in current Haitian art to the
resentment of the natives during slavery and colonization though it may be present in some
forms through the arrival of African slaves

6. Early Haitian Art
◦ In 1807 Henry Christophe, one of Haiti’s founding fathers whom himself King Henry I in 1811,
encouraged the development of arts in the republic
◦ In 1816 President Alexandre Petion assisted French artists in establishing an art school in Port-au-
Prince
◦ During this period several English artists also taught at the Royal Academy of Milot
◦ Painters such as Thimoleon Dejoie, Numa Desroches, Colbert Lochard and his son Archibald Lochard
were prominent artists during this period
◦ Though emphasis on the arts were on the risemost artists were regulated to the painting and
decoration of buildings and homes of the wealthy not of people or scenes

7. Early Haitian Art
Picture of Citadelle Laferrière home of King Henry Christophe

8. Haitian Renaissance
◦ The arrival of American Dewitt Peters in 1943 is widely regarded as the beginning of an art
revolution in Haiti
◦ Dewitt was on a wartime assignment when he noticed the country had no visible artwork,
painting activities or galleries
◦ He could not believe such a beautiful countryside had no real art history and set out on a
mission to modernize Haitian art
◦ He efforts led to the opening of the Centre d'Art on May 14, 1944 in Port-au-Prince

9. Haitian Renaissance
◦ Peters actions were pivotal in the rise in interest in art in Haiti, commonly referred to as the
Haitian Renaissance
◦ Artists such as Hector Hyppolite, Philome Obin, Rigaud Benoit, and Castera Bezile stepped
forward to work with Dewitt.
◦ Hyppolite a "hougan", a priest in the voodoo religion, who wanted to start a new career was
painting flowers with a brush of chicken feathers on doors in his local community of Saint-Marc
and Mont Rouis. Hyppolite is better remembered as the father of the Southern school of
Haitian art

10. Haitian Renaissance
◦ Obin, who painted Les Bourgeois du Cap-Haitien vers 1900-1919, was a self-taught master of
architectural geometry and documented historicism. He was already known for painting
religious illustrations and scenes of the United States Marine occupation, in which Obin
depicted a violent struggle between the American forces and the Haitian peasants in Northern
Haiti.
◦ Obin went on to found the Northern School of Painting, known for orderly composition and
narrative works.
◦ Benoit was more interested in illustrating his "barbed vignettes of Haitian life", and Bezile, was
concentrating on bringing forth the miseries and the glories of the peasant existence.

11. Haitian Renaissance
Photo of Dewitt Peters and Henry Hyppolite, a Haitian born painter, in 1948

12. Haitian Renaissance
Philomé Obin: "Les Bourgeois du Cap-Haitien vers 1900-1919"

13. Haitian Renaissance
"La Reine des Lougarous“ by Rigaud Benoit

14. Haitian Renaissance
“Au Marché” by Casters Bezile

15. MODERN ART
◦ Today art in Haiti in generally divided in two categories: naives and moderns
◦ Naives art is generally considered primitive in nature, lacking artistic education and disciplines
◦ Moderns are painters with artistic education many studying abroad and having strong French,
English and Spanish influence
◦ Modern art in Haiti still has roots in religion and many artists seek to paint depictions of joy and
happiness, often found extremely strange for a country known for its social and economic issues
◦ The following video will provide a snapshot of some of the bright brilliant paintings prevalent in
modern Haitian art

16. MODERN ART

17. CONCLUSION
The history of art in Haiti is storied, yet by many standards, relatively brief. Many documentation
or pictures of artworks prior to 1944 are rare. The opening of the Center d’Art proved a huge step
in putting Haitian art on display around the world and drove the rise of prominent artists in Haiti.

18. REFERENCES
◦ 50000, B. 1. (n.d.). HAITIAN ARTS. Retrieved September 01, 2016, from
http://www1.american.edu/ted/haitiart.html
◦ Agoue and La Sirene by Rigaud Benoit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
http://www.artshaitian.com/Pages/haitianartbenoit.html
◦ Castera Bazile. (n.d.). Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
http://www.haitianarthopkins.com/bazile.htm
◦ H. (2015). MUST SEE: VIDEO GUIDE- Haiti - History, Art, & Culture. Retrieved September 11,
2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkc183Ak-bM
◦ History of Haitian Art. (n.d.). Retrieved September 01, 2016, from
http://www.martellyartgallery.com/haitianarts.html
◦ June 2009 DC Exhibition Conference Flyer. (n.d.). Retrieved September 03, 2016, from
http://haitianartsociety.org/photo6.html
◦ P. (2009). Destination Haitian Arts. Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2reuRI3jVeE