Galland Semerand (1953-2019) 24"x36" Gingerbread Oil on Canvas Unframed Painting #4-2-95GSN-NY
Galland Semerand (1953-2019) 24"x36" Gingerbread Oil on Canvas Unframed Painting #4-2-95GSN-NY
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$10,490.00
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Description
Description
This elegant oil on canvas painting by Galland Semerand (1953–2019) celebrates Haiti’s iconic gingerbread architecture through a carefully observed streetscape centered on a grand, turreted residence with intricate balconies, shuttered windows, and decorative wooden detailing. Set against a cool mountain backdrop beneath a luminous sky, the composition balances architectural precision with atmospheric depth, guiding the eye along the quiet street and surrounding garden walls. Semerand’s controlled palette and clean structural lines emphasize the dignity and craftsmanship of Haiti’s historic homes, while small figures in the foreground lend scale and a sense of everyday life. This artwork comes from the private collection of Georges S. Nader in New York and will be shipped directly from the collection. The painting is sold as-is and is in good condition. A Certificate of Authenticity will be issued by Myriam Nader Haitian Art Gallery upon purchase.
About this artist
About this artist
Galland Sémérand (1953–December 2019) was a Haitian painter born in Cap-Haïtien and trained in the workshop of Philomé Obin. A notable figure associated with the Le Cap tradition, Sémérand is recognized for his masterful attention to detail and a realist approach characteristic of Cap-Haïtien artists. At the same time, his compositions often introduce a subtle idealization—refining scenes and figures with a clarity and harmony that distinguish his work within the Obin-influenced school.
As noted by Gérald Alexis in Peintres Haïtiens, Sémérand’s precise handling of detail is firmly rooted in the realism of artists from Le Cap, while also reflecting an unmistakable sense of idealization. Though he passed away in December 2019, his paintings remain valued for their disciplined craftsmanship, narrative presence, and lasting contribution to Haitian art history.
Gingerbread houses are a distinctive architectural style that originated in Haiti in the late nineteenth century. The term “gingerbread” was coined by American tourists in the 1950s, who admired the ornate detailing and found it reminiscent of Victorian-era buildings in the United States. The movement is often traced to 1881, with the Haitian National Palace marking an early and influential moment in the style’s development. In 1895, three young Haitian architects—Georges Baussan, Léon Mathon, and Joseph-Eugène Maximilien—traveled to Paris to study architecture. Inspired by French resort design, they returned to Haiti and helped expand the emerging movement, adapting it to local conditions through vivid color palettes, patterned ornamentation, and structures designed for tropical living.
By design, gingerbread houses fuse architectural ideas learned abroad with an intimate understanding of the Caribbean climate. They were built with tall doors and high ceilings to encourage airflow, while steep turreted roofs helped redirect hot air above the main living spaces. Instead of sealed glass, louvered shutter windows were placed on multiple sides to create constant cross-breezes, making interiors more comfortable during the hottest months. Many homes also incorporated wrap-around verandas for shade and outdoor circulation, and flexible timber frames that could better withstand storms and tremors. Construction materials varied, but commonly included wood, masonry, stone, and clay.
Today, this architectural heritage is increasingly threatened by the natural aging of wood, intense weather exposure, and the high cost of restoration and repair. Even so, gingerbread houses have drawn international attention for both their cultural value and their structural intelligence. The style was nominated to the 2010 World Monuments Watch, and reports following the 2010 earthquake suggested that a comparatively small percentage of these houses suffered partial or total collapse, encouraging conservation experts to consider them a valuable reference for climate-adapted and potentially seismic-resilient building traditions.
