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Haiti to Harlem: Toussaint L'Ouverture & Jacob Lawrence Main Menu Jacob Lawrence: The Storyteller Paintings to Prints The Life of Toussaint L'Ouverture in Print Contextualizing The Prints Curating the Exhibition Imprints and Impact Highlights the impact of the Jacob Lawrence prints in relation to both Lawrence's life and the history of global POC liberation. About the Curators Meet the Fall 2024 Curatorial Class! Select Bibliography

Henri Christoph, rather than surrender to LeClerc, sets fire to La Cape, Christoph, one of Toussaint's aides, sent word that the French were in Haitian waters—that he had held them off as long as possible

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The Burning
Left: Henri Christoph, rather than surrendering to LeClerc, sets fire to La Cape. Christoph, one of Toussaint's aides, sent word that the French were in Haitian waters -- that he held them off as long as possible (1937) / Right: The Burning (1997)
Rather than surrendering to Napoleon’s troops, revolutionary leaders set their homes ablaze in a defiant act to keep their town of La Cape from being overtaken by their enemies. The Burning showcases the rebellious spirit of the Haitian people and the true actions of resistance taken by revolutionaries to earn their freedom and to withstand the forces working against their cause. Flames sit atop the roofs of the buildings. Surrounding the buildings are blades of grass in various hues of green. The grass is prominent in the foreground, drawing attention to its variety in shade and movement. The grey skies in the background highlight the burning buildings as the main focus of the piece, an emphasis that reflects the power of movement and action, both thematically and visually.