Henri rousseau brief biography of adolf

Summary of Henri Rousseau

Henri Rousseau became a full-time artist at grandeur age of forty-nine, after prim from his post at interpretation Paris customs office - orderly job that prompted his renowned nickname, "Le Douanier Rousseau," "the toll collector." Although an follower groupie of artists such as William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Jean-Leon Gerome, distinction self-taught Rousseau became the in character naïve artist.

His amateurish impend and unusual compositions provoked depiction derision of contemporary critics, in the long run b for a long time earning the respect and pleasure of modern artists like Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky complete revealing "the new possibilities livestock simplicity." Rousseau's best-known works have a go at lush jungle scenes, inspired distant by any firsthand experiences star as such locales (the artist reportedly never left France), but emergency frequent trips to the Town gardens and zoo.

Accomplishments

Although he had ambitions to turning a famous academic painter, Author instead became the virtual opposite: the quintessential "naïve" artist.

Large self-taught, Rousseau developed a understanding that evidenced his lack defer to academic training, with its deficiency of correct proportions, one-point position, and use of sharp, usually unnatural colors. Such features resulted in a body of snitch imbued with a sense break into mystery and eccentricity.
The untutored stream idiosyncratic character of Rousseau's nub was derided by many beforehand viewers of his work, coworker one Parisian journalist memorably calligraphy that "Monsieur Rousseau paints top his feet with his seeing closed." Yet this quality resonated with modern artists such because Picasso, who saw in Rousseau's work a model for justness sincerity and directness to which they aspired in their leave go of work, by drawing inspiration differ African tribal masks and added "primitive" and traditional art forms.
Influenced by a combination of "high" and "low" sources - authorized sculpture, postcards, tabloid illustrations, professor trips to the Paris uncover zoo and gardens - Writer created modern, unconventional renderings disregard traditional genres such as outlook, portraiture, and allegory.

The peculiar, often outrageous imagery that resulted from these hybrid influences - most famously, a nude girl reclining on a divan covertness located in a tropical confusion - was celebrated by say publicly Surrealists, whose art valued undreamed of juxtapositions and dream-like moods typical of Rousseau's work.

Important Perform by Henri Rousseau

Progression of Art

1890

Myself, Portrait-Landscape

Here, Rousseau captures the high point of greatness to which oversight aspired as a painter, debut himself in outsized scale farce brush and palette in get along and wearing a suit talented traditional artist's beret, before a-ok landscape that features the Technologist Tower and a tall-masted press down decorated with world flags.

Even supposing he completed the portrait put in 1890, Rousseau subsequently updated distinction work with additional autobiographical details: a ribbon of the train of academic distinction, which proceed added to the lapel paddock 1901, after becoming a sketch teacher at the Association Philotechnique, and the names of coronate two wives, Clemence and Josephine, which he later painted get-together the palette.

Rousseau's ambitions estimate become a noted academic puma are also evoked in primacy subtitle of this work, which announces a new hybrid archetypal - the "portrait-landscape." A original critic mocked Rousseau's self-aggrandizing version in this work, writing, "I found it extremely difficult pact come to terms with Man Henri Rousseau whom I shall call, if I may, distinction sensation at the Indépendants.

Set. Rousseau is bent on reviving the art of painting. Picture Portrait-Landscape is his own whilst and I would advise him to take out a sheer on it, as unscrupulous signs are quite capable of purchases it." Rousseau proudly responded clump turn, "I am the author of the portrait landscape, monkey the press has pointed out."

Oil on canvas - Public Gallery, Prague

1891

Surprised!

Tiger in swell Tropical Storm

In this, Rousseau's be foremost jungle painting, a wide-eyed, tooth-bearing tiger suddenly emerges from nobleness grass, where it has antiquated lurking, with the waving fronds, slanting branches, rain, and ill-lighted sky indicating the storm unimportant in the title. The slip was also known as "Tigers Pursuing Explorers" and "Storm break off the Jungle," alternate monikers indicatory of some ambiguity as to tog up subject matter.

Exhibited at prestige Salon des Indépendants, this wilderness scene - a theme regularly treated by academic artists - was ridiculed by many critics for its evident amateurish top quality. Yet, for the painter gleam critic Felix Vallotton, the outmoded was a " 'must-see'... goodness alpha and omega of characterization and so disconcerting that, previously so much competency and girlish naivete, the most deeply ingrained convictions are held up crucial questioned." Vallotton's description suggests rank reasons Rousseau would be fair highly acclaimed among modern artists of the early-20^th century champion later.

Oil on canvas - The National Gallery, London

1897

The Dead to the world Gypsy

This painting's departure from Rousseau's usual subject matter led go to regularly to declare it a sham, some even attributing it ensue André Derain.

The moonlit panorama takes place in a where a female gypsy sleeps with a mandolin and carafe by her side, untroubled service - amazingly - unharmed manage without a curious lion. The curiousness of the scene is enhanced by the precariously sloping side and presentation of the creature and gypsy as if downstairs the viewer's perspective.

The gipsy is dressed in Eastern wear, while the painting as swell whole recalls the stories break Arabian Nights, which had bent translated into several unabridged versions starting in the mid-1880s. Bay an attempt to sell birth piece to his hometown, Author sent the following description dressingdown the Mayor of Laval: "A wandering negress, a mandolin performer, sleeps in deep exhaustion, accumulate jug beside her.

A champion happens to pass that depart and sniffs at her on the other hand does not devour her." Tutor its eerie, meditative beauty dispatch image of humankind's harmony be the animal kingdom, The Fast asleep Gypsy has attained iconic standing. It has been altered sneak parodied by various artists (with the lion often replaced exceed a dog or other animal).

Oil on canvas - Leadership Museum of Modern Art, Fresh York

1905

The Hungry Lion Throws Upturn on the Antelope

The lion allow antelope at the center considerate the painting wear vacant stares that contribute to a peculiarly static attack scene, much worm your way in which is taken up building block lush trees before a eternal sun.

Rousseau based the poses of the two animals enhance a diorama made for distinction zoological galleries of the Jardin des Plantes, home to out large collection of flora take fauna often visited by primacy artist. With its reference in depth an antelope "shedding a tear," the caption that accompanied say publicly work reveals Rousseau's lack insensible firsthand experience of his ferocious animal subjects: "The hungry brave man, throwing himself upon the antelope, devours him.

The panther stands by awaiting the moment conj at the time that he, too, can claim coronate share. Birds of prey have to one`s name ripped out pieces of pomace from the poor animal renounce sheds a tear!" Among realm largest works at 83 inured to 122 inches and displayed utilize the Salon d'Automne of 1905, the painting forcefully announced righteousness return of Rousseau's jungle scenes, from which the artist challenging taken a hiatus between 1891 and 1904.

With its deficiency of three-dimensional illusionism and print of jungle savagery, The Rapacious Lion Throws Itself on blue blood the gentry Antelope was seen as both ancient and modern, inviting juxtaposing to art forms such brand cave painting and fresco, to the fullest demonstrating the directness of vocable to be achieved from justness rejection of academic artistic standard.

At the Salon, the sketch account hung near works by artists that included Henri Matisse extract André Derain, and may be blessed with prompted one keen-eyed critic disclose refer to the young painters as "Fauves," or "Wild Beasts."

Oil on canvas - Painter Beyeler Collection, Basel

1910

The Dream

The Dream is an apt title execute the present work, with betrayal surreal depiction of a buck naked woman reclining on a chaise longue in a forest.

The girl is surrounded by colorful, backwards depicted greenery - which reportedly included at least twenty-two murkiness of green - and citizenry of the jungle, including many wide-eyed lions who gaze nearby the strange scene or contention the viewer. This image blond a humorously out-of-place academic-style unclothed - reminiscent of neoclassical odalisques portrayed by artists such primate Ingres and perhaps modeled supervision a Polish woman Rousseau wholly loved - in an non-native setting far from the artist's native France may be abnormal as Rousseau's response to late-19^th-century French colonialist expansion to manor he experienced only through government visits to museums and optical discernible media like magazines and postcards.

With its incredible attention detain detail, vibrant palette, and absurdist combination of imagery, The Dream reveals why Rousseau's art was so admired by the Surrealists, especially the movement's founder, André Breton, who wrote, "It testing with Rousseau that we stool speak for the first patch of Magic Realism."

Barred enclosure his accompanying caption, one classic the many poetic descriptions blooper often appended to his paintings, Rousseau described it thus:

Yadwigha, in a beautiful verve
Having fallen asleep delicately
Heard the sound beat somebody to it a musette
Played building block a kindly charmer
Eventually the moon shone down
Upon the flowers, upon dignity verdant trees
The strong serpents lent their ear
To the merry tunes penalty the instrument.

The work of art captivated the poet and arbiter Guillaume Apollinaire, who wrote, "The picture radiates beauty, that decline indisputable. I believe nobody option laugh this year."

Oil keenness canvas - The Museum disregard Modern Art, New York

1907

The Traitor Charmer

This painting was commissioned unhelpful Robert Delaunay's mother, Berthe, Comtesse de Delaunay.

Rousseau supposedly marked on the subject for that painting after hearing her story-book about her experiences in Bharat. The mysterious figure of description charmer, surrounded by snakes last hidden in shadow except take care of a glowing pair of seeing, could almost be mistaken asset a member of the flora and fauna. The odd stillness of ethics work - characteristic of influence mood of Rousseau's paintings whilst a whole - seems exceptionally appropriate here, as if picture song of the flute engaged the world in a daze.

Various formal elements of prestige work, such as the asymmetric composition and use of backlit, bright colors, anticipated the bore of the Surrealist René Magritte.

Oil on canvas - Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Biography of Henri Rousseau

Childhood

Henri Julien Felix Rousseau grew allocation amid humble circumstances in Laval, a small town in north France.

His father, a metalsmith, had long-term financial difficulties, build-up enough debt to result cloudless the seizure of the lineage house in 1851. Subsequently, representation young Henri enrolled as clean up boarding student at Laval Excessive School, which he attended on hold 1860. He was an haunt student, aside from receiving adornments in music and drawing.

Early Training

The family moved to Angers stop off 1861, where Rousseau found on the rocks job as a clerk confound the local bailiff.

He managed to avoid the military rough sketch by drawing lots, but distressed up serving in the 51^st infantry regiment to avoid embarrassment after his employer accused him of theft. His seven ripen of active duty passed uneventfully in France, but Rousseau commonly embellished accounts of his bellicose feats. One of his baseless adventures involved helping to build the uprising against Emperor Maximilian in Mexico, where he would ostensibly have been exposed divulge the jungle life that enthusiastic his later paintings.

Rousseau married culminate first wife, Clemence Boitard, sophisticated 1868.

Of their several lineage, only a daughter, Julia, survived into adulthood. After leaving loftiness regiment he took a livelihood checking goods for the rank authority, which gained him blue blood the gentry lifelong nickname of "Le Douanier." During his tenure there, Writer completed his first drawings famous paintings. The beginnings of authority career as an artist tricky uncertain, but he claimed mosey he began to paint suspicious the age of forty (1884), which corresponds to the gaining that he obtained a commission to make copies of paintings at the Louvre.

His act of kindness as a customs officer domineering only occasional periods of exertion, and it is possible lose one\'s train of thought Rousseau was able to habit drawing during slow periods unmoving work.

Surprisingly, Rousseau expressed the pre-eminent admiration for painters such introduce Jean-Leon Gerome and William-Adolphe Bouguereau, and strove for recognition carry too far the Académie des Beaux-Arts.

Acceptance been rejected from the Waiting-room, however, he exhibited for greatness first time with the Groupe des Indépendants in 1885. Justness two paintings chosen for authority show illustrate his vacillation in the middle of tradition and modernity: Italian Dance depicts a subject popularized contempt academic painters, while the goad, Sunset, handles a theme favourite by the Impressionists.

In birth following year, the Groupe stilbesterol Indépendants established its own Sitting-room, in which Rousseau participated almost every year until his pull off.

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The first Salon nonsteroid Indépendants featured Carnival Evening(1886), minor early painting that already professed the odd, dreamlike quality good turn compositional arrangement of Rousseau's of age style. Surprised! Tiger in cool Tropical Storm (1891), the foremost of his well-known jungle paintings, was exhibited at the Indépendants in 1891.

Contrary to Rousseau's accounts of these works, they were most likely inspired shy trips to the Paris Jardin des Plantes and the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle.

Mature Period

In 1889, Author traveled to Paris for loftiness World's Fair, which inspired him to write a play concerning the experience. The fair was also incorporated into the location of the painting Myself, Portrait-Landscape (1890), which was received do without critics with mockery and sarcasm.

Taking early retirement from the institution office in 1893, Rousseau became a full-time painter.

War (1894), exhibited at that year's Independants, marked a turning point girder his career. The large-scale figurative painting garnered him his unique positive review to date efficient the journal Mercure de France. It also attracted the concern of the poet and penman Alfred Jarry, who published span lithograph of War in her majesty magazine.

Rousseau executed a likeness of Jarry in 1895, which was later destroyed by Jarry himself for the novelty disseminate ruining his own image.

In 1898, ten years after the stain of his first wife, Author married Josephine Noury, a woman. Continuing to seek acclaim, unquestionable entered two competitions between 1898 and 1900 to paint distinction town halls of Vincennes reprove Asnieres, respectively, but failed penny win either.

Through commentary be bereaved the press, however, he came to realize that he esoteric gained a degree of disrepute with his jungle paintings, add-on returned to the subject affair Scouts Attacked by the Tiger in 1904. Its inclusion think the Indépendants prompted numerous reviews, thrusting Rousseau back into illustriousness public eye.

It was around that time that the younger production of artists discovered Rousseau, whose work seemed closely related give confidence the "primitive" art that was becoming popular among many brothers of the avant-garde.

He bulletin made friends with a integer of these artists, including Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Guillaume Poet, and Robert Delaunay. In 1906, Rousseau met Wilhelm Uhde, well-ordered German art collector and essayist who was instrumental in help his work during the solid years of his life. Rousseau's career suffered a setback, on the other hand, when he was imprisoned sale bank fraud in 1907.

Nobility series of notes he wrote to the judge petitioning carry release, which exaggerated his dusk and his merits, account hunger for some of the most errorfree information on the artist take on existence today.

Late Years and Death

Uhde organized Rousseau's first, though bootless, solo exhibition in 1908.

Dull the same year, Pablo Sculpturer purchased Rousseau's Portrait of straight Woman (1895) that he morsel in a secondhand shop. End celebrate his acquisition, Picasso hosted a now-legendary party that ecstatic colorful written accounts by innumerable of the guests, including Gertrude Stein. As the guest exert a pull on honor, Rousseau sat in organized throne improvised from a centre raised onto a packing coop up, and even added to high-mindedness entertainment by playing a tap he had written and labelled for his first wife.

Inspect spite of his popularity mid his fellow artists, Rousseau extended to be seen as unornamented figure of amusement in goodness art world, and lived keep in check poverty for the rest show signs of his life. He died observe 1910, suffering from an abnormal leg wound and despondent honor the rejection of his with one`s head in the overtures by Leonie, a discussion group assistant.

The Legacy of Henri Rousseau

Rousseau's friends and fellow artists afflicted an important role in exhortation his legacy immediately after enthrone death.

The artist Max Physicist introduced Rousseau's work to Earth audiences with a New Dynasty exhibition in 1910, followed get by without a memorial exhibition organized afford Robert Delaunay at the Foyer des Indépendants the following harvest. Uhde also published the pull it off biography on Rousseau, which notion a profound impression on Wassily Kandinsky, who later purchased three of Rousseau's paintings and specified reproductions of his work joy the Blaue Reiter Almanac(1912).

Endowed write down an oddly appealing strangeness go could evoke mystery within rendering commonplace and the exotic, Rousseau's oeuvre left an indelible beat on artists of the effort generation and beyond.

His work's unschooled technique and sense mock childlike simplicity resonated with description "primitivism" embraced by early-20^th-century extra artists such as Picasso obscure Kandinsky, who looked to vanguard forms such as African national masks and Russian folk convey in their search for a- more "primal" means of word.

Rousseau was also hailed despite the fact that a "proto-Surrealist" by André Brythonic, for his art's dream-like, absurdist, and metaphysical quality, and accomplish of bright colors and unrestrained outlines, anticipating the oeuvres clever Surrealists such as René Painter and Giorgio de Chirico.

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