Oil Painting: Black Folk Art or Something Else?

I'm having a hard time figuring out if this is very well-done Folk Art or if it's painted by a professional artist. Impressionistic style, so that's why I'm unsure. Label verso from Hatfield's Color Shop in Boston. Any thoughts on this? I feel like the composition is very good but having trouble discerning what kind of art it is. Also, the style of it is very familiar to me, somehow.

 

Obviously unsigned....

 

It looks like watercolor ? My first thought was New Orleans, or maybe Haiti ? I like it,and think its better than amateur. But Im no expert.

 

Hi,
I agree with Johnny, very typical painting from Haiti, however it is a lot better than most of the ones I see. The other are usually a lot more garish colored.
greg

 

I vote *not* New Orleans if those are bananas on the ground, lower right, in the 1st picture.

--- Susan

 

I just threw New Orleans out because the architecture reminds me of there. The more I look at this picture,the more I like it ! It could be anywhere in the Caribbean I suppose. I love the colors !

 

Well the problem is i bought it because I believed the seller's description that it was Southern and not Haitian! Grrrrrrr. Thanks for all the replies guys. I like the painting too, but was not interested in buying a Haitian piece. i thought it was Charleston, New Orleans or similar.

 

Like, I think more of something like this when I think of a typical Haitian painting:

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/31395455_wilson-bigaud-haitian-1931-2010-a-painting-march

 

I wouldn't rule out a port city yetwich could explain the bannanas,and the women to me look to be more "American" ,mainly because of the dresses and hats. Growing up in the 60s you used to see black ladies wearing headscarves all the time. I dunno,I still think New Orleans.

 

Jamaicans, Haitians, and other Caribbean women worn hats like these. Those hats and long dresses were seen in many Caribbean areas back when. No doubt they may have worn them here in the states, but bananas in any large supply, I doubt would have been found on the streets of New Orleans. Possibly banana venders one time on the streets of Tampa, but the buildings and colors say Caribbean to me. Those headscarves were also worn and are still worn all over the Caribbean. Following are a few examples of the hats in Jamaica back in the early 1900s with long dresses:

Jamaican Emancipation Day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31966523@N02/4820734079

1921 Jamaican Market Day:
http://hexell.users.photofile.ru/photo/hexell/95308981/105762768.jpg

Country Market Jamaica
https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanphotoarchive/3008876340/in/set-72157608798186282

1907 Jamaican Vegetable Market:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanphotoarchive/3025295342/in/set-72157608798186282

1905 Jamaican Street Venders:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/caribbeanphotoarchive/6820838882/in/set-72157608798186282

--- Susan

 

Hi Moon,
I love your painting and I do not like any of the "Caribbean" type of art.
Yours is a much higher standard. I would call it Guyana. Try just to think of it as a great piece of art and try not to think of where it came from.
greg

 

>I love your painting and I do not like any of the "Caribbean" type of art.<

I also love this painting and not crazy about the so called Caribbean art either. Have you taken the frame off to make sure there isn't a sig. down under the frame at the bottom? Almost looks like a sig or the top of a sig on the bottom left below the veggies as a dark line at the frame. Like the frame is covering the sig. No doubt it isn't, but thought I'd mention that dark area.

--- Susan

 

I really like the painting. Hatfield's was in Boston for a long time, but that label looks circa 1960s to me. As an artist, I would say that paintings on board like this are usually student art or amateur art. This is not to say the artist didn't go on to become famous, but generally when you get past student days, you use stretched canvas.

 

I also think Caribbean but not necessarily done by a native. Agree with the student and/or traveling artist work. Could even be a "sketch" by a better artist. Artist had some talent but, unfortunately, chose not to sign this.

 

I'd say Caribbean region too; the reason for the similarities with New Orleans is there used to be a huge trade in between the two areas. Goods and people moved back and forth. My first guesses would have been Jamaica and Belize.

 

Thanks guys, for all the comments and thoughts. Maybe it's Jamaica or somewhere similar. I'm not really getting a Haitian vibe from this. My feeling is it's an American artist though. Not really sure why. I'll take the picture apart from the frame later today. If I find anything else out I'll let you guys know.

 

It's not New Orleans.

 

There was an artist here on the Cape about 20 years ago who had spent a couple of years in the islands - mostly Jamaica. He painted scenes from the Caribbean like this, so it could very well be an American artist.

 

Yeah, the style really makes me think it's by an American artist for sure.