Fritzner Alphonse
(1938-2006 )
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Alphonse was born in Port-au-Prince on July 18, 1938. His mother was a merchant originally from Jacmel, and his father was a tanner. After leaving school his father taught him his trade and He worked as a tanner until the age of 36.
A childhood friend of Calixte Henri, he began painting at the urging of his friend in 1972. Calixte gave him art books to study. Late 18th century western painting particularly impressed Alphonse. He also took some courses at the Center of Art.
As is readily apparent from his work, Alphonse is fascinated by the female figure; his paintings depict an endless variation on this theme. A member of the Baptist Church, he rejects vodou and its themes in his art. Bon Appetit Magazine published a feature article on the artist in the early 1990s, with a number of full-color illustrations of his works. He painted a mural for a large hotel in Miami.
Alphonse's work has been shown throughout the Caribbean islands, at the Haitian Institute in Washington, D.C., and at the Organization of American States (OAS), France, Mexico, and Japan.
