124. Cap–Haitien Street Scene
c1989 (20x24)

   A son of Philomé Obin, Antoine was a competent draftsman.

    We met twice, the second time when I visited Philomé to pick up a self–portrait I'd commissioned.
   In his letter informing me that the work was ready, Philomé had identified it as Auto–Portrait de Philomé Obin. Unlike most of his works, it bore no written title at the bottom.
   As I was about to claim my treasure, Antoine asked his father why the title was missing.
   'Not needed,' the old man grunted — pointing to his signature on the painting.
   (Antoine, as forger, played a rôle in my obtaining one of his father's best–known works.)

57. 'La malade … le prètre'
1976 (20x24)
 

   Henri–Claude was probably the most gifted of Philomé Obin's many progeny. His work is outstanding in draftsmanship, color, and characterization.
   The full titles of these works are:
    l 'La malade recoit l'extreme onction
         par le prêtre'
   Like his father, Henri–Claude was a Baptist. Can that be why the priest in this painting is a blan, a white man? Until the regime of François ('Papa Doc') Duvalier, the Roman Catholic Church in Haïti was dominated by whites, mostly Frenchmen — a fact much resented by Haitian nationalists. By the time of this painting, however, most priests were native Haitians.
    l 'Le president Borno et ses ministres'
   Borno was president of Haïti in 1922–29 — during the first American Occupation — so this is not a painting from life.
   The artist was another member of the Haitian diaspora: he lived in New York for many years and died there.

186. 'Le president Borno …'
1986 (24x30)