Richard Antilhomme (1922-2002)

Richard Antilhomme, the late self-taught Haitian painter and member of "Cinq Soleils," was born in Petit Trou de Nippes in 1922 and died in November 2002 in Petion-Ville, Haiti. Born to farmer's parents, Antilhomme never attended school and moved to the capital at nine years old to work as a housekeeper, mechanic, painter, and construction. He met Tiga, the co-founder of the Saint Soleil art movement, who enrolled him as a member at 50. Antilhomme paints Voodoo-inspired themes in a raw and naive style. He stopped painting in 1978 when "Cinq Soleil" was disbanded to resume painting in 1989. When Andre Malraux visited Soisson-la-Montagne in 1975, Saint Soleil gained international recognition by featuring the Saint Soleil movement in his book "L'Intemporel.". Malraux mentioned Antilhomme in L'intemporel as one of the finest artists. Antilhomme's art is mentioned in some Haitian art books, and he has participated in many exhibits.