Poto-Poto School of Painting
A Brazzaville painting school founded in 1951, whose style spread across the region.
Updated 3 September 2026
Pierre Lods, a French painter living in Brazzaville, opened a studio in the Poto-Poto quarter in 1951 and taught by not teaching: he supplied materials and space and left his students to work without academic instruction, and what came out of it was a distinctive style of elongated figures in flat bright colour that spread across Francophone Africa and is still being painted. The school operates as a working studio and gallery.
What you'll find
- The elongated figures - the distinctive style the school produced and still works in.
- The working studios - painters at work in the same building.
- The 1951 foundation - Pierre Lods's studio and his approach of not teaching.
- The gallery - the works for sale in the school's rooms.
When to go
June to September is the dry cooler season. The school keeps daytime hours on weekdays. Weekends are quieter.
Practical notes
It is a commercial gallery as much as a school and selling pressure is present. Much of what is sold is produced to a formula. Hours are irregular.
Nearby
Basilique Sainte-Anne is nearby, and central Brazzaville is west.
What to pack for Poto-Poto School of Painting
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
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