Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) was a clerk at the Paris Customs Office who dreamed of becoming a famous artist. At the age of 49, he decided to give it a try. Initially, Rousseau's bright, dynamic paintings of jungles and exotic plants and animals were considered childish and simplistic, but his unique and persistent style soon gained recognition. After 1886, his works were regularly exhibited at the renowned Salon des Indépendants in Paris, and in 1908 he was given a legendary banquet in his honor, hosted by Picasso.

Although he is best known for his tropical scenes, Rousseau, in fact, never left France, finding inspiration in books and magazines, as well as in visits to natural history museums and stories from returning soldiers. Working with oil on canvas, he tended toward a vibrant palette, vivid depiction, and a certain rich, languid sensuality as seen in the jungle nude composition “The Dream.”

Today, the “myth of Rousseau” is well established in art history, comparing him with other masters of post-impressionism such as Cézanne, Matisse, and Gauguin. In this compact introduction by TASCHEN, we explore the aspects of this late-blooming artist and his legacy as an unlikely hero of modernism.

“Nothing makes me happier than to observe nature and to paint what I see.” — Henri Rousseau

Pages: 96, Year of Publication: 0609, Dimensions: 21x21cm