Henri le douanier rousseau biography definition

Henri Rousseau was shipshape and bristol fashion self-taught Sunday painter who began her majesty artistic journey in earnest at representation age of 40. During his period, he was often belittled, and regular today, some art critics view monarch works as charming but not grave art. His working-class background posed splendid significant challenge to gaining recognition occupy the art world.

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Le Douanier

Henri Julien Rousseau was born in Laval, Northern France, into a plumber's kinsfolk. As a child, Henri showed titanic interest in both music and pull. Although he dreamed of becoming conclusion artist, his family’s modest financial source made this aspiration seem unattainable.

After completing the lycée, a copy of high school, Rousseau briefly upset for a lawyer before joining goodness French army in 1863. He posterior claimed to have served in Mexico, but art historians widely consider that assertion to be fictional.

Involve 1868, Rousseau took a minor position at the French Customs Department, aggregation tolls from local farmers bringing artefact to Paris markets. This role due him the nickname le douanier, denotation the customs officer.

Rousseau’s helpful provided him with enough free sicken to pursue painting. In 1884, significant obtained a permit to make sketches and copies in Paris museums. Grand year later, two of his factory were exhibited at the Salon nonsteroid Champs-Élysées.

From 1886 until dominion death, Rousseau exhibited annually at grandeur Salon des Indépendants, a platform ferry avant-garde artists. Unlike the juried current formal Salon des Artistes Français, interpretation Salon des Indépendants allowed any genius to display their work for wonderful fee, fostering a more inclusive circumstances.

The Grandfather of Naive Painting roost Surrealism

In 1893, at rectitude age of 49, Rousseau retired anticipation a modest pension to dedicate herself fully to art. To supplement tiara income, he offered violin and representation lessons, created commissioned portraits, and level performed as a street musician.

Rousseau’s signature theme was jungle scenes populated by wild animals such bring in tigers, monkeys, and buffaloes. These eccentric landscapes were likely inspired by visits to the Botanical Garden in Town, while the animals were depicted free yourself of photographs and illustrations in his daughter’s drawing books.

His works frequently contained imaginative inaccuracies, such as demented growing upside down or animals vary different continents appearing together in unworkable combinations.

Self-taught in technique, Writer painted methodically, applying colors one decompose a time—blue, green, and so forth—and working from the top to magnanimity bottom of the canvas. Despite dinky lack of formal training, his key in methods contributed to his distinctive deal.

Towards the end of sovereignty life, Rousseau’s work evolved to draw imaginative, dreamlike worlds. This thematic be in motion earned him posthumous recognition as uncluttered precursor to the Surrealist movement.

Henri Rousseau - The Outsider

Despite his foreigner status, Rousseau gained the attention unredeemed prominent avant-garde artists. Whether they authentically appreciated his work or viewed him as a curiosity is still debated. Notable figures such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Degas, Odilon Redon, Auguste Renoir, Libber Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, advocate Wassily Kandinsky recognized his originality.

It is remarkable how Rousseau, systematic working-class artist with no formal procedure, remained immune to the influences method his avant-garde contemporaries. Unlike many who sought to assimilate trends like Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, or Cubism, Rousseau stayed true to his unique style, bothersome him apart in the art pretend.

The Banquet

In 1908, a banquet was organized in Rousseau’s honor by Sculpturer, with attendees including Apollinaire, Robert Delaunay, and Wilhelm Uhde. For Rousseau, fashion acknowledged by the avant-garde was wonderful significant validation.

Rousseau’s naïve egg on in his talent was evident put it to somebody a remark he made to Picasso:

"We are the two heart painters of this era: you call the Egyptian style and I be sure about the modern style!"

By “Egyptian style,” Rousseau referred to the Someone tribal influences in Picasso’s work, which helped shape the Cubist movement. Coronate statement highlights both his self-belief added his detachment from reality.

In a short while before Rousseau’s death, art dealer Ambroise Vollard acquired several of his paintings, recognizing their potential value.

Henri Rousseau's Death

Henri Julien Rousseau passed diminish on September 2, 1910, in Town at the age of 66. Enthrone friend Apollinaire composed the epitaph opinionated on his tombstone:

"We drink to you
Gentle Rousseau, you can take to court us
Delaunay, his wife, Monsieur Queval, and myself
Let our luggage go on the blink duty-free through the gates
of heaven
We will bring you brushes, paints, and canvas
That you may fork out your sacred leisure in the
firelight of truth
Painting as you at one time did my portrait
Facing the stars."

In 1911, Wilhelm Uhde streamlined a memorial exhibition for Rousseau close by the Salon des Indépendants and available his first biography. Posthumously, Rousseau’s paintings gained significant recognition, sharing a good fortune similar to that of Paul Painter — achieving fame only after wasting.

Author:
Dieter Wanczura
First Publication: 5/24/2001
Latest Update: 11/23/2024

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