Préfète Duffaut

Préfète Duffaut (1923-2012) was a major Haitian painter. He was born January 1st, 1923, and died October 6, 2012, at the age of 89. He developed a distinct style that earned him national and international recognition. He was introduced to DeWitt Peters, soon after the Centre D’Art Haitien opened in 1944. Préfète Duffaut was well known for his paintings of fantastical mystical cityscapes. He recounted that his call to paint was inspired by a vision of the virgin who appeared to him at the top of a mountain, ordering him to paint his city. In the 1960s, Préfète Duffaut moved with his family to the Carrefour-Feuilles neighborhood in Port-au-Prince. He made the imaginary city his favorite subject and he also painted paintings of mystical inspiration. In a 70-year career, the artist produced an immense body of work and exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. (KS)