Renowned Haitian historian and art critic Michel Philippe Leurebours has died
By Jacques Innocent · Port-au-Prince · · 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
Professor and historian Michel Philippe Leurebours passed away this Saturday, October 26, 2025, according to a source close to his family. Born in Port-au-Prince on November 29, 1933, the historian and art critic completed his primary and secondary studies with the Brothers of the Saint Louis de Gonzague institution.
After his classical studies, Leurebours attended the École Normale Supérieure in Port-au-Prince, where he obtained his diploma in 1955.
Known by his contemporaries as one of the greatest and rarest Haitian art critics, the historian left behind immense works, notably a plethora of publications on Haitian art, particularly on painting, which he meticulously cataloged and traced its evolution through different periods. His work titled: 'The Golden Age of Haitian Painting,' is among his publications in which he highlighted this richness, emphasizing the work of several generations of painters from different schools and initiators of various movements. His courses at the State University of Haiti, particularly at IERAH, his vast knowledge of Haitian art, his rigorous and scientific approach, and his way of contextualizing, will continue to influence several generations of students, who always appreciated him for his intellectual prowess. The news of his passing immediately prompted the publication of a multitude of texts containing eulogies in his honor. The Toussaint Foundation, the art center, and the Haitian art museum he directed paid tribute to him, while extending their sympathies to his family members, loved ones, and all others affected by this loss. Jacques Innocent
Known by his contemporaries as one of the greatest and rarest Haitian art critics, the historian left behind immense works, notably a plethora of publications on Haitian art, particularly on painting, which he meticulously cataloged and traced its evolution through different periods. His work titled: 'The Golden Age of Haitian Painting,' is among his publications in which he highlighted this richness, emphasizing the work of several generations of painters from different schools and initiators of various movements. His courses at the State University of Haiti, particularly at IERAH, his vast knowledge of Haitian art, his rigorous and scientific approach, and his way of contextualizing, will continue to influence several generations of students, who always appreciated him for his intellectual prowess. The news of his passing immediately prompted the publication of a multitude of texts containing eulogies in his honor. The Toussaint Foundation, the art center, and the Haitian art museum he directed paid tribute to him, while extending their sympathies to his family members, loved ones, and all others affected by this loss. Jacques Innocent
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