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Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’
Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’
Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’
Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’
Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’
Henri Rousseau,
called ‘Le Douanier’ |
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Who was Henri Rousseau?Henri Rousseau lived in Paris, France. He loved art, poetry and music. Rousseau did not train as an artist, but enjoyed copying works of art at the Louvre - the famous Paris art museum. People in Paris loved to explore the great outdoors. Many French artists, including Rousseau, painted scenes of Parisians enjoying themselves. Henri Rousseau liked nothing better than to paint on a Sunday, his only day off. His friend and neighbour, Claude Juniet the greengrocer, loved Sundays too. Sometimes, they would spend time together exploring the countryside around Paris. Let's meet Rousseau's friends!The figures in Henri Rousseau's paintings were often his friends and family. Look at Rousseau's painting, Old Man Juniet's Trap. Let's see who is riding in the trap! Henri Rousseau is sitting in the front (wearing the yellow hat). Claude Juniet is holding the reins. Madame Juniet rides in the back with Claude Juniet's nieces. Madame Juniet took the photograph that Rousseau used to make this painting. How can she be in the picture too? Look at the way Henri Rousseau has painted the peoples' faces. They look very serious! In their Sunday-best clothes with such stiff and unnatural poses, Rousseau's figures look like cardboard cut-outs! Let's look at another painting by Henri Rousseau, The Wedding Party. Once again, the artist has painted himself into the scene. Do you recognise Henri Rousseau in this painting? Do you see any familiar faces? What other similarities can you see? Henri Rousseau's child-like, flat way of painting is often called Naïve. Bright colours, attention to detail and a simplified storybook style are characteristic of Naïve art. Many art critics of the time did not like Naïve art. Many modern artists of the 1880s, however, liked this new way of painting. Amedeo Modigliani is one artist who was influenced by the Naïve art style. Design, shape and colourDesign, shape and colour are very important in Henri Rousseau's paintings. How does he use them? Look at Henri Rousseau's painting, Child with Doll. Rousseau has not painted the child exactly as she looks, instead he has changed her appearance by painting her with an enlarged body, full and flattened face and awkward pose. Do you think she is standing or sitting? Strange poses can be seen in other paintings by Rousseau. Look at the poses of figures in Henri Rousseau's painting, The Wedding Party. Do you think the man to the left of this painting is sitting on the tree stump, leaning on it, or standing in front of it? He almost seems to be floating above it. The bride also seems to be floating above the ground. Henri Rousseau sometimes used colour to create contrast. Look at Rousseau's painting, Child with Doll. Notice the way the red dress stands out, creating a contrast against the cool blue of the sky. Look at the way Rousseau has created patterns by painting spots on the dress and flowers on the grass. Rousseau's use of pattern and colour make parts of the painting look very flat and decorative. Henri Rousseau said: "Nothing makes me happier than to contemplate nature and paint it". His love of nature can be seen in the way he paints. Look at the careful way he has painted each blade of grass and flower petal. Overlapping shapesHenri Rousseau has used simple overlapping shapes to create a sense of shallow space. This technique tells our eyes that one object is in front of another - that one object is close, while another object is further away. Look at the shapes in Rousseau's painting, Old Man Juniet's Trap. Which objects overlap others? Exploring other artistsHenri Rousseau's style, and the techniques he used to make his paintings, helped him to express his imaginary view of the world around him. This is true of many other modern artists. When you look at paintings by other modern artists, considering the points below may help you understand what the artist was trying to achieve:
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© copyright 2001, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Australia
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