Raphael Barontini
Au Balcon du Palais Sans-Soucis, 2024
Acrylic, inks, silkscreen and glitters on canvas
70 7/8 x 118 1/8 in
180 x 300 cm
180 x 300 cm
Copyright the Artist
The title is an evocation of the Sans-Soucis Palace built by Emperor Henri-Christophe in Haïti after the revolution against the French. This general in chief nominated by Jean Jacques Dessalines,...
The title is an evocation of the Sans-Soucis Palace built by Emperor Henri-Christophe in Haïti after the revolution against the French. This general in chief nominated by Jean Jacques Dessalines, took the power and led the north region of Haiti around Cap Haïtien.
During 14 years, Henri-Christophe recreated a kingdom in the north of Haiti, playing with the codes of French Royal Courts. He built a castle in a French architectural style named “the Sans-Soucis Palace”.
The family portrait depicted in the painting evokes a scene taking place on the balcony of this Palace. Recreating an image of what could be a portrait of Henri Christophe and his family, the painting is composed like a collage thanks to seven different old court paintings.
Three different for the characters, and for 4 different paintings for the landscape (Landscape, curtains, balustrade, objects…).
Iconography:
Queen : Portrait of Catalina Micaela of Spain by Alonso Sánchez Coello (Spain) Fang masks from Gabon.
King : Portrait of Jacopo Boncompagni by Scipione Pulzone (Italy) Chokwe Mask from Angola.
Prince: The Infante Don Felipe and Doña Ana by Bartolomé González y Serrano (Spain)
Landscape : An imaginary Rhenish landscape with figures near a tavern, the town of Bingen and the Mäusenturm in the distance by Herman Salftleven (Holland)
Faces from different collections of ethnological photographs (all taken in Africa):
- Kid (Rwanda)
- Man (Congo)
- Woman (South Africa)
During 14 years, Henri-Christophe recreated a kingdom in the north of Haiti, playing with the codes of French Royal Courts. He built a castle in a French architectural style named “the Sans-Soucis Palace”.
The family portrait depicted in the painting evokes a scene taking place on the balcony of this Palace. Recreating an image of what could be a portrait of Henri Christophe and his family, the painting is composed like a collage thanks to seven different old court paintings.
Three different for the characters, and for 4 different paintings for the landscape (Landscape, curtains, balustrade, objects…).
Iconography:
Queen : Portrait of Catalina Micaela of Spain by Alonso Sánchez Coello (Spain) Fang masks from Gabon.
King : Portrait of Jacopo Boncompagni by Scipione Pulzone (Italy) Chokwe Mask from Angola.
Prince: The Infante Don Felipe and Doña Ana by Bartolomé González y Serrano (Spain)
Landscape : An imaginary Rhenish landscape with figures near a tavern, the town of Bingen and the Mäusenturm in the distance by Herman Salftleven (Holland)
Faces from different collections of ethnological photographs (all taken in Africa):
- Kid (Rwanda)
- Man (Congo)
- Woman (South Africa)
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