Henri Rousseau (04:08)

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Henri Rousseau was an old man by the time his work was appreciated by the likes of Picasso. By then, he could bask in the glory of fame at last. His painting was an imaginative exercise.

Rousseau's Exaggerated Life Stories (01:51)

Rousseau was a painter who was known for his romanticized and exaggerated stories about his life.

Rousseau's Exaggerated Past (03:50)

Henri Rousseau was a French painter who was known for his paintings of jungle scenes. He was also known for his exaggerated claims of his own achievements, including that he had fought in the Mexican Revolution and the Franco Prussian War. In reality, Rousseau had never been to Mexico or fought in any wars. He worked as a customs officer for most of his life.

Painting of Carnival Evening (02:54)

Rousseau was initially ridiculed for his naive and childlike paintings, but later gained recognition from other artists and intellectuals. He exhibited his work primarily at the Salon des Independants.

Rousseau Ignores Critics (02:50)

Rousseau worked 70 hours a week at his day job, somehow managing to carry on painting. His work was ridiculed, but he continued to paint.

Henri Rousseau: Creator of a New Genre (02:20)

Henri Rousseau's Myself-Portrait-Landscape was an attempt to present himself as a fine artist, but was met with mockery by contemporary critics. Rousseau believed that his combination of portrait and landscape was entirely original, and he liked to consider himself the creator of a new artistic genre.

Rousseau Retires to Paint Fulltime (03:12)

Rousseau was a French painter who is best known for his jungle paintings, which were inspired by the plants and animals in the hot houses of Paris's Jardin des Plantes.

Discovering Compositional Elements (03:58)

Rousseau used bright colors and a naive style. He was self-taught, and he often copied compositions from other sources, including photographs. He was supported by the writer Alfred Jarry, who commissioned the only print that Rousseau ever made.

Remarkable Painting (03:27)

Henri Rousseau was influenced by academic painters, the Orientalists, and Paul Gauguin. He painted a canvas entitled "War" that is now seen as the most remarkable painting of his entire career.

Landscapes are original (01:59)

Rousseau's landscapes are charming and naive in a way that is refreshing and original. He has a very personal perspective, and often portrays the people in his landscapes in a very unique way. However, he does not value his landscapes as highly as his more imaginative work.

The Sleeping Gypsy (02:30)

The Sleeping Gypsy is a painting by Henri Rousseau that is now in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is a surreal painting that is considered a masterpiece.

Missing Masterpieces (02:56)

Rousseau's painting, To Fete Baby, was discovered in a farmer's barn in 1944. Many Rousseau paintings are still missing today. We know this because there are printed lists of paintings he exhibited at Salon des Independants.

Confirms His Status as an Artist (02:16)

Rousseau's human images were finding buyers, and he was becoming more confident in his status as an artist. In 1906, he exhibited a canvas celebrating the Salon des Independants, and he had also become involved with the Salon d'Automne. His painting of lush vegetation had now reached mastery, and the work was well received by many critics.

Picasso Discovers Rousseau (05:57)

Henri Rousseau was a naive, 60-year-old French painter who was discovered by Pablo Picasso in 1908. Picasso threw a banquet in Rousseau's honor and praised him as a great painter. Rousseau was later convicted of fraud but escaped with a suspended sentence. In his final years, he painted jungle scenes that were praised for their skillful use of color.

The Dream: Rousseau's Final Work (03:04)

Henri Rousseau was an artist who, despite having no formal training, achieved great success in his lifetime. He is best known for his paintings of jungle scenes, which were created based on his own imagination, rather than from personal experience. His final major piece was called The Dream.

Credits (00:51)

Credits