Tribute to Henri Rousseau - 181 years old on May 21

He would have been 181 years old on May 21st, an opportunity for Museum TV to look back at the artistic career of Henri Rousseau, whose works have inspired many, even though he never traveled!

Le Douanier, Father of Naïve Art 

Henri Rousseau, known as Le Douanier (1844-1910), was a painter of Naïve Art, Primitivism, and Post-Impressionism. Originally from Laval in Mayenne, Henri Rousseau began his professional life as a clerk in a notary's office in Nantes before being dismissed for theft. He then joined the army in 1863 and moved to Paris as a tax collector in 1871. Eager to become an artist, he obtained a copyist's license at the Louvre. Thus, as an autodidact, he tenaciously studies the works of the Louvre and also uses photographs found in the press. 

The self-taught artist, mocked by his contemporaries, was rejected from the official Salon in 1885. Spotted by Paul Signac, he was then invited to exhibit at the Salon des Independents in 1886. This salon was created in Paris in 1884 with the aim of bringing together artists whose artistic practices demonstrated a certain independence. It was established under the initiative of a group of artists rejected from both the Official Salon and the Salon des Refusés. Among them were Odilon Redon, Georges Seurat, and Paul Signac. 

Henri Rousseau then exhibited some of his creations. These were particularly appreciated by Odilon Redon and Camille Pissarro. 

Henri Rousseau, War, c. 1894, oil on canvas, 114.5 x 195 cm, Musée d'Orsay 

Henri Rousseau, The Hungry Lion Throws Himself on the Antelope, 1898-1905, oil on canvas, 200 x 301 cm, Switzerland, Basel, Fondation Beyeler 

Avant-garde painters were true defenders of Rousseau. In November 1908, a banquet was even organized by Pablo Picasso at the Bateau-Lavoir, the Montmartre building where Pablo Picasso had set up his studio. This banquet in honor of Rousseau demonstrated the avant-garde artists' admiration for his painting.

The Dream - Henri Rousseau

The year of his death, Henri Rousseau painted The Dream. Although he had never left France, this painter produced more than twenty-five paintings on the theme of the fantastical jungle. Popular literature and world exhibitions were essential sources for the artist. Living in Paris, it was easy for him to visit the Museum of Natural History and the Jardin des Plantes, a botanical and zoological garden. He stated: "When I enter these greenhouses and see these strange plants from exotic countries, it seems to me that I am entering a dream." 

In fact, in this work, a nude woman lies in a lush jungle, sprawled on her sofa. She seems to be staring at and pointing at an element of exotic nature that the viewer is unaware of. The clear grass at the top of the canvas reveals the moon in a clear sky, destined to illuminate this jungle. Distant animals, colorful birds, wild animals, and ruminants inhabit the canvas. Some animals appear to be looking at the viewer. This is also the case with the musician.

Rousseau justifies the insertion of the naked woman on a couch and the musician into this wild environment with this statement: "The woman asleep on the couch dreams of being transported to the forest, listening to the sounds of the enchanter's instrument."

Le Douanier-Rousseau died in poverty in 1910. He was buried in a common grave; it wasn't until 1947 that his ashes were transferred to his hometown of Laval.

Want to learn more about Henri Rousseau, Fauvism, and Naïve art? Watch our various documentary series exploring these themes on Museum TV and anytime, anywhere on our video-on-demand platform my.museumtv.art.