Toussaint L'Ouverture Meurt dans la Prison

What it is

This is a lithograph print titled "Toussaint L'Ouverture meurt dans la prison," showing a dim stone prison cell. An older man lies slumped on straw, supported by a standing man, with a water jug nearby. A French caption appears below the image. It is held by the Library of Congress, with the name Villain associated on its record, though no date is recorded.

Why it matters

This image depicts Louverture's death in a French prison, the final chapter of his life after he was captured and taken from Haiti. As a later, imagined scene rather than an eyewitness record, it shows how his death became a symbol used by later generations to tell his story.

Look closer

• Since no one recorded this scene at the time, how might the artist have imagined the details?
• Why do you think artists chose to depict this moment rather than other parts of Louverture's life?
• What does the caption at the bottom add to how we understand the image?