Ecological Disquisitions on Six Paintings by Edouard Jean

Abstract

Abstract: Capois artist Edouard Jean (1953–) created this group of paintings especially for a Haitian Studies Association conference, held in Cap-Haïtien in 2016, with the environment as its central theme. Jean is among the artists who were students and then colleagues of Philomé Obin, founder of the “School of the North History Painters.” Many of Jean’s works depict scenes of Haitian history, and he has been observed walking about with a rolled-up copy of a paperback book on Haitian history sticking out from his back pocket. His history paintings always include keenly observed and finely executed flowers and trees, and he has created many works where these are the subject. When he heard of the conference on the environment, he wanted to make a set of works that would tell some of the story, often distressing, that he was observing around him. With the collaboration of his main collector, Laetitia Schuett, Jean has made the paintings available for this special issue of the journal.