Jean-Louis Sénatus (born August 16, 1949, in Léogâne, Haiti) is a Haitian painter celebrated for atmospheric, dreamlike compositions and a refined command of color. He began drawing and painting in 1967 and pursued formal studies in Port-au-Prince at the Lope de Vega Institute and the Hall of Plastic Arts in 1969. Early in his career, he worked for a year with the Greek painter Scordillis, an experience that helped shape his technical confidence and artistic direction.In 1968, Sénatus received second prize in an Air France–sponsored poster competition in Port-au-Prince. From 1975 to 1983, his work was exhibited internationally in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Curaçao, the United States, Italy, and England—establishing his presence beyond Haiti’s borders. Sénatus is often associated with “neo-primitive” painting for his poetic, imaginative imagery, yet his technique reflects disciplined virtuosity. His paintings are distinguished by transparent, finely nuanced color and a distinctive approach in which each composition becomes a focused harmony—often a cameo of one or two tones—applied with such delicacy it can feel almost airbrushed or “sprayed” onto the canvas. As noted in La Peinture Haïtienne / Haitian Arts (Marie-José Gardère, Éditions Nathan, Paris, 1986, p. 181), this luminous palette shifts his vision toward distant climates of the imagination, transforming each work into a quiet, resonant dream-space. Scroll down to make your selection (s)!
