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Secondary sourcePainting1795 (depicted scene)

Toussaint Captured Marmelade

Jacob Lawrence · 1795 (depicted scene)

A painting by Jacob Lawrence depicting Toussaint Louverture's 1795 capture of Marmelade during the Haitian Revolution.

Part of Jacob Lawrence's series depicting Toussaint Louverture's military campaign of 1795.

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Black-and-white photograph of a flat, stylized painting. A white horse with a dark bridle and a rider with a dark helmet-like head stands at center, surrounded by tall pointed dark and light shapes and pale, shield-like figures.
Jacob Lawrence, Toussaint captured Marmelade, from the Toussaint Louverture series.

About this source

What it is

This painting by Jacob Lawrence is part of his series on the life of Toussaint Louverture. It shows Toussaint's capture of Marmelade in 1795, during his rise as a military leader in the Haitian Revolution.

Why it matters

Toussaint Louverture's military campaigns, including this capture, were central to the struggle against slavery and colonial control in Saint-Domingue. Lawrence, working in the 20th century, created this series to bring Toussaint's history to a wider audience, interpreting these events through his own artistic style rather than depicting them as an eyewitness.

Look closer

  • What visual elements suggest action or conflict in this scene?
  • Why might Lawrence have chosen this particular moment from Toussaint's life to paint?
  • What might this stylized depiction leave out about the real events of 1795?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Toussaint Louverture on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Mémoires du Général Toussaint-L'Ouverture écrits par lui-même

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Secondary source

Général Toussaint Louverture

19th century

Sepia-toned engraving of a standing man in a black top hat with a tall plume, a dark military-style coat with chevron-patterned sleeves, and a sash at the waist. He holds a folded paper in one hand and a curved sabre in the other. Behind him are a fortified hillside, a small building on top, palm trees, and a second figure in uniform with a plumed hat.Painting

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19th century engraving of L'Ouverture

J. Barlow, after a sketch by Marcus Rainsford · 19th century

Sepia engraving of a scene in a tropical landscape: a tall officer in a plumed hat and uniform stands center, receiving a letter from a man in a long coat at right, while a woman in a long dress, children, and other figures gather around, with palm fronds and trees behind.Painting

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