Henri Rousseau: Ten Paintings That Redefined Self-Taught Art
Born on May 21, 1844, in Laval, France, Henri Rousseau lacked formal artistic training. He transitioned to full-time painting after resigning from his toll-collecting position in 1893. His experiences during military service fueled his fascination with jungle scenes. Following his father's passing in 1868, he relocated to Paris, wed Clémence Boitard, and earned the moniker "Le Douanier." In 1884, he secured a copyist's permit for the Louvre and showcased his work at the Salon des Indépendants. After Clémence's death in 1888, he ventured into music and wrote an unproduced comedy. His work gained recognition with Louis George Eléonor Roy's commendation of The War (1894). Rousseau passed away on September 2, 1910, due to a leg infection, with a retrospective held in 1911 that impacted Surrealism.
Key facts
- Henri Rousseau was born on May 21, 1844, in Laval, France, and had no formal art education.
- He worked as a toll and tax collector in Paris, earning the nickname "Le Douanier."
- Rousseau obtained a copyist's permit for the Louvre, Luxembourg, and Versailles museums in 1884.
- His first wife, Clémence Boitard, died in 1888; he later married Josephine.
- The Mercure de France published the first positive recognition of his art, featuring The War (1894).
- Pablo Picasso purchased Portrait of a Woman in 1908 and hosted the "Le Banquet Rousseau" in his honor.
- The Dream (1910) was Rousseau's last completed painting and is held by the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
- Rousseau died on September 2, 1910, from a leg infection; a retrospective at the Salon des Indépendants followed in 1911.
Entities
Artists
- Henri Rousseau
- Clémence Boitard
- Josephine
- Louis George Eléonor Roy
- Jean-Léon Gérôme
- Pablo Picasso
- Guillaume Apollinaire
- Paul Signac
- Georges Braque
- Robert Delaunay
- Bellona
- Yadwigha
- Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- Alfred Jarry
- Georges Seurat
- Odilon Redon
- Paul Gauguin
- Elisa Tiboni
- Toulouse-Lautrec
Institutions
- Salon des Indépendants
- Salon
- Louvre
- Luxembourg Museum
- Versailles
- Musée d'Orsay
- Museum of Modern Art
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- National Gallery Prague
- Foundation Beyeler
- Musée de l'Orangerie
- Musée Picasso
- Le Mercure de France
- Ordre des Palmes académiques
- Jardin des Plantes
- Octroi
- MoMA
- Salon officiel
- Société des Artistes Indépendants
- Artspecialday
- Norton Simon Museum
- Fondation Beyeler
- National Gallery of Art
- Folies Bergère
- League of Nations
- United Nations
- Jardin des plantes
Locations
- Laval
- France
- Angers
- Paris
- Mexico
- Senegal
- Tonkin
- Tahiti
- Riehen
- Switzerland
- Prague
- Czech Republic
- New York City
- United States
- Philadelphia
- Loire
- Pasadena
- CA
- USA
- Basel
- Washington
- DC
- NY
- Africa
- India
- Britain
- Brussels