Henri Rousseau
The
artist, Henri Rousseau, showed ingenious painting ability with
his simplistic style and fantasy backgrounds. He lived in France from
1844 to 1910 receiving modest acclaim and limited income during that time.
Today, Henri Rousseau is recognized as innovative and unique. His Post
Impressionist paintings inspired later artists such as Picasso and other
Surrealist period artists.
Henri
Rousseau learned his trade alone without the means to attend prestigious
art schools. He lived most of his life in Paris yet his paintings reflect
exotic tropical scenes that grew from his imagination. One of Henri Rousseau’s
famous paintings, The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope, depicts
detailed colorful jungle scenery and other works feature flamingos, apes
and exotic creatures.
Many critics during Henri Rousseau’s lifetime believed that his paintings lacked depth and were childish and primitive. He favored fantasy style backgrounds with super imposed figures, all with deep tones and bright colors. Henri Rousseau is often recognized in his painting, Self Portrait, completed in 1890, a reflection of his creative style.
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