The Sleeping Gypsy 1897 Oil on canvas

1. Rousseau, Henri, known as Le Douanier Rousseau (1844-1910). French painter, the most celebrated of naïve artists. • His nickname refers to the job he held with the Paris Customs Office (1871-93), although he never actually rose to the rank of `Douanier' (Customs Officer). • Before this he had served in the army, and he later claimed to have seen service in Mexico, but this story seems to be a product of his imagination. • He took up painting as a hobby and accepted early retirement in 1893 so he could devote himself to art. The Sleeping Gypsy1897 Oil on canvas • His character was extraordinarily ingenuous and he suffered much ridicule (although he sometimes interpreted sarcastic remarks literally and took them as praise) as well as enduring great poverty. However, his faith in his own abilities never wavered.

2. Eclaireur attaqué par un tigre (Scout Attacked by a Tiger) 1904

3. Henri RousseauTropical Forest with Monkeys, 1910 Total confidence in himself as an artist enabled Rousseau to take ordinary book and catalogue illustrations and turn each one into a piece of genuine art: his jungle paintings, for instance, were not the product of any first-hand experience and his major source for the exotic plant life that filled these strange canvases was actually the tropical plant house in Paris.

4. Combat of a Tiger and a Buffalo 1909 Oil on canvas

5. The Snake Charmer 1907

6. The Flamingoes 1907

7. Exotic Landscape1908

8. The Repast of the Lion 1907

9. A tiny tropical island sits in the Caribbean, decorated with palm trees and colorful hibiscus flowers. • Its mountains stand majestically looking down upon sandy beaches and green valleys. From afar it appears as any other island one might encounter sailing the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. • Yet, as we draw closer we notice a difference. There are no tourist resorts dotting the coasts, no high rise hotels with sand volleyball courts and marimba bands. • This is Haiti, this is different. If the land could speak it would tell of tragedy and violence, of abuse and bloodshed, of power and greed. ShoppingJean Idelus Edme

10. Many historians date the beginning of Haitian art with the opening of the Centre D'Art in Port-au-Prince, by DeWitt Peters in 1944. However, artistic activity has always held a place in Haitian history. • As early as 1807, Henri Christophe encouraged the development of art in the new independent black country. • In 1816, AlexandrePetion helped a french artist to establish an art school in Port-au-Prince. Although some smaller schools arose during those early years, the emphasis of the art was on religion and portraiture.

11. Despite the hardships and political trauma suffered by this country, Haiti remains a wellspring of creativity and imagination.

12. Pierre Maxo: Chats et Jungle Pierre Maxo: Chats Noirs avec Canard

13. Marcelina Vasquez R.: Lovely Forest

14. Jorge Enrique Ramirez F.: Butterflies Pierre Maxo: Zebre et Chat

15. Jorge Enrique Ramirez F.: Manatee

16. Joel Gauthier: Jungle

17. G. Polycarpe: Jungle