Untitled (Baptism Party) by Eugene Jean

Oil on board

This painting depicts a baptism celebration with three infants featured in the foreground. The three infants are all held in their parents’ arms. There are about ten women sitting on or standing near two rows of chairs. The only men present are the two fathers. On a table in the middle of the frame sits four cakes and a radio set, indicating that the party is about to begin. Behind the party is a small house with a tree in front and behind it. The baptism party and the house are partially enclosed by a short wall. Behind the wall stand more women, watching the baptism party. In the far background, a pink church sits on a hill. Why do you think the fathers are the only men present? What might Eugène Jean be trying to say by making this choice? 

The painting is done in the Cap-Haitien style, with a rather pastel palette using mostly pinks, blues, and greens. The style the Jean uses is characterized by flat areas of color contrasted with passages of fine detail. Many cultures have ceremonies welcoming babies into this world. What ceremonies does your culture have? What memories do you have of engaging in these ceremonies?

Artist Bio: Eugène Jean was born in 1951 at Trou du Nord in the North-Eastern part of Haiti. Jean first worked with Haitian paint-er Philomé Obin. He has been a member of the Centre d'Art since 1971 and has had several exhibitions in the United States. Jean typically paints common scenes of daily life, sometimes with overtones of humor.