One might think that after no formal training he would be eager to learn techniques from his fellow artists, to experiment with the trendy styles like impressionism, post-impressionism, fauvism or cubism. But Rousseau wasn’t, and that is what makes him so unique. Rousseau was gifted with an exceptional sense of design and a feeling for color. He was a perfect example of the kind of artist in who the surrealist believe: #“the untaught eye could see much further than that of the trained artist.”

Henri Julien Rousseau was born in 1844 in Laval, a town in northwestern France. As a child Rousseau showed an interest

Rousseau’s earliest works display some characteristics of primitive art such as flat surfaces, minute detail, stiff and frontally posed figures and arbitrary proportions. Throughout most of his career Rousseau’s subject were mostly the streets, bridges and public squares of his beloved Paris. In the last ten years of his life he produced his jungle pictures which proved to be the greatest of his achievements; this later work is simpler compositions with larger forms and bolder use of color, but the traits of primitive art can still be seen.

Let our luggage pass duty free through the gates of heaven

Rousseau worked as a customs inspector in Paris from 1871-93. His colleagues gave him his nickname “Le Douanier” (the customs officer), a position far grander than the one he actually held. His simple job was collecting taxes on goods brought into the city. During his time as a customs inspector Rousseau made his painting debut with the painting “Carnival Evening” in 1886 at the Salon des Artistes Independants (A show of independent artist). “Carnival Evening” was a masterpiece of its kind and an impressive beginning for the artist. This work exhibits an approach and representation that is typical of the artist, everything is literally and deliberately drawn; every branch of the trees is traced, the clouds have a strange solidity, and greater attention is paid to the costume than to the figures themselves. Sensitive observation of the colors of the evening and the literal treatment of trees and clouds ultimately contributes to an air of mystery.

Rousseau frequently strolled the streets of Paris searching for inspiration, and sketching from nature. He wrote: #“Nothing makes me happier than to contemplate nature and to paint it. Would you believe it that when I go out into the country and see all that sun, all that greenery and all those flowers, I sometimes say to myself: ‘All that belongs to me, it does.’” Rousseau’s interest in nature is displayed in his keen attention to the details of leaves, trees, and various species of animals in his paintings.

Rousseau was introduced to Pablo Picasso in 1908. Picasso adored Rousseau's work and threw a banquet in his honor. As the story goes all of the bohemian artistic world was there. Many toasts were drunk and the party became quite lively. Near the end Rousseau staggered up to Picasso and paid what was for Rousseau a splendid tribute: #“My dear Picasso,” he said, “we are the two greatest painters of our time--you in the Egyptian style and I in the modern style.” This is just one example of how convinced Rousseau was of his great talent, and how enthralled he was with the life he created for himself. Although critics ridiculed his efforts, he never lost confidence in his own ability and even saved his reviews in a scrapbook.

Some topics in this essay:
Henri Rousseau, Artistes Independants, Portrait-Landscape” Standing, Storm Surprised, Forest Monkeys”, Sleeping Gypsy, Forest Monkeys, World's Fair, France Rousseau, Henri Laval, rousseau painted, henri rousseau, tropical forest monkeys, collecting taxes, forest monkeys, music drawing, tropical forest, “carnival evening”, light coming, job collecting taxes, blue background, eye center,