André Lafontant 13.5"x 8.5" x 3.5" Untitled (Yanvalou) 1959 Carved Mahogany Sculpture #1WD
André Lafontant 13.5"x 8.5" x 3.5" Untitled (Yanvalou) 1959 Carved Mahogany Sculpture #1WD
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Description
Description
This graceful mahogany sculpture, titled Yanvalou, captures a woman in the midst of the traditional Haitian Vodou dance of the same name, known for its serpentine, undulating movements honoring the Rada spirits. Carved by Haitian artist A. Lafontant in 1959 and signed on its base, the piece measures 13.5 inches tall by 8.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches deep. Its fluid, dynamic pose, with one arm sweeping upward and the skirt caught mid-motion, reflects the artist's skill in translating the rhythm and spiritual energy of Vodou ceremonial dance into carved wood. The mahogany's warm, polished surface catches light along the figure's curves, lending the piece a lively, sculptural presence. Sourced from a private collection in California, this piece carries a documented provenance. We will provide a Certificate of Authenticity.
About this artist
About this artist
Andre Lafontant was born in Jacmel, Haiti, on August 24, 1917. Jacmel has long been recognized as one of Haiti's most important centers of art and craftsmanship, home to generations of painters, sculptors, and artisans, and it was within this rich creative environment that Lafontant began his artistic training. He studied at the professional school of J.B. Damier, where he developed the technical foundation for his sculptural work. He later spent a year in New York City at the Art Students League, an institution whose alumni include many of the most significant American artists of the 20th century. This period of study abroad broadened his artistic vision and exposed him to international techniques that would go on to inform his sculptural practice. In 1946, Lafontant was awarded a prize at the Bicentenary Exposition, a recognition that affirmed his standing among Haitian sculptors of his generation. His work and biography are documented in Haiti: Voodoo Kingdom to Modern Riviera by John Allen Franciscus, which situates him within the broader history of Haitian sculpture. The date of Lafontant's death remains unknown, a gap common to the historical record of many Haitian artists of his era whose full archives were never centrally preserved. His sculptures endure as part of that legacy, reflecting a career shaped by both traditional Haitian training and international exposure.
