Prosper Pierre-Louis (1947–1997), was a Haitian artist, painter; and one of the main contributors to the local school of the Saint Soleil art movement. His paintings depicting mystical Vodou

Loa ( ), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerat ...

s and spirits are especially noteworthy. Pierre-Louis was born on October 12, 1947, in Bainet, near

Jacmel Jacmel (; ht, Jakmèl) is a commune in southern Haiti founded by the Spanish in 1504 and repopulated by the French in 1698. It is the capital of the department of Sud-Est, 24 miles (39 km) southwest of Port-au-Prince across the Tiburon Peninsula ...

, Haiti. He did not have any formal schooling, but taught himself to play the drums and the violin. As a child he assisted his father, a

houngan Oungan (also written as ''houngan'') is the term for a male priest in Haitian Vodou (a female priest is known as a (''mambo''). The term is derived from Gbe languages (Fon, Ewe, Adja, Phla, Gen, Maxi and Gun). The word hounnongan means chief ...

, in preparing

Haitian Vodou Haitian Vodou is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and Roman Catholicism. There is ...

ceremonies. At the age of 16 he moved to

Port-au-Prince Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is define ...

. There he took a number of odd jobs. Later while working as a waiter at the home of Maud Robard he joined the "Saint Soleil" peasant commune (organized by the latter) which united a variety of poor artists including singers, dancers, craftsmen, and painters into the movement. Prosper followed Maude to the community at Soisson-la-Montagne on the mountain above LaBoule and eventually became the most prominent painter in the group. The Saint Soleil group disbanded after only a few years but five of the artists, Prosper,

Levoy Exil Levoy Exil (born 1944), is a master Haitian artist and painter; he is one of the main contributors to the Saint Soleil art movement. Exil's paintings are mystical and abstract and often depict Haitian Vodou Loas, suns and stars, birds, and Maras ...

, Denis Smith, Dieuseul Paul, and

Louisiane Saint Fleurant Louisiane Saint Fleurant (11 September 1924 – 1 June 2005) was a Haitian female artist and painter. She was a founder of the peasant Saint Soleil art movement. Saint Fleurant's paintings often depict maternal scenes of females, children, trees ...

reorganized into the group "Cinq Soleils". After years of labor Prosper's technique greatly evolved and he became a prominent and respected member of the local art community. His flourishing career came to an abrupt end when he died prematurely of an asthma attack in November 1997. Paintings by Prospere Pierre-Louis have been sold by the

Friends of HAS Haiti ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

to raise funds for the

Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti The Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti is a hospital in Deschapelles, Haiti. It was established in 1956 by Larry Mellon, who was inspired by Hôpital Albert Schweitzer and the life and philosophy of Albert Schweitzer. History In 1947, Larry Mello ...

, located in

Deschapelles :''This article refers to a town in Haiti. For the French chess master, see Alexandre Deschapelles.'' Deschapelles ( ht, Dechpel) is a town in the Verrettes commune, in the Artibonite department of Haiti. It is located approximately 54 km ...

. Works by the artist are part of The Olivier Doria d'Angri collection.

External links

Some paintings at Galery d'Art Nader, PAP, Haiti.Paintings by Pierre-Louis Prospère at Friends of Hopital Albert Schweitzer
1947 births 1997 deaths 20th-century Haitian painters 20th-century male artists Haitian male painters {{Haiti-bio-stub