Haitian painting by C. Obin 23" x 19.5" inches painting surface, 29" x 24" framed. Vintage on board.
The Obin family is one of the most important artistic dynasties in Haitian art and is closely associated with the development of the Cap-Haïtien School in northern Haiti. Its central figure was Philomé Obin (1892–1986), whose meticulous narrative paintings recorded Haitian history, political events, architecture, religious life, landscapes, and everyday society. His distinctive approach, sometimes called the“Obin style,” typically features carefully ordered compositions, precise architectural detail, relatively small figures, clear colors, and an almost documentary interest in the life and history of northern Haiti. More than a dozen members of his extended family became painters.
The family was not simply a group of artists sharing a surname. Painting became an intergenerational tradition. Philomé Obin's younger brother, Sénèque Obin (1893–1977), joined the Centre d’Art in 1948 and developed his own interpretations of markets, civic events, Haitian history and religious and Masonic subjects. His work was sufficiently important to be included in the 2024 Venice Biennale, which described the artistic family as including his brother Philomé, nephews Antoine Obin and Télémaque Obin, and his son Othon Obin.
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