Rousseau, Henri

(1844-1910)

   painter

   Known as "Le Douanier," (customs agent) Henri Rousseau, who was born in Laval, is recognized especially for his bold colors, flat designs, and imaginative subject matter, all much praised and imitated by modern artists. After serving in the army in Mexico, in 1868 he obtained a position at the Paris tax office (not the customs office, contrary to his sobriquet). Totally self-taught, Rousseau, when he retired in 1884, began painting and copying at the louvre, and soon demonstrated his talent. He also became friendly with artists associated with the salon des indépendents, where he began to show regularly after 1886. There he won the admiration of such contemporaries as paul gauguin, georges seurat, and Pablo Picasso. After painting mainly portraits (Pierre Loti; Moi-même), Parisian scenes (Scieries aux environs de Paris; L'Octroi, ca. 1890), he turned during the 1890s to highly original depictions of fantasy, typically showing tropical scenes with human figures resting or playing with animals, often mysteriously charmed to an alert stillness (Forêt vierge au soleil couchant; Joyeux farceurs, 1906; La Charmeuse de serpents; Les Flamants, 1907). Rousseau also painted flowers and still lifes and what he called "creations," taken from romantic themes (Rendez-vous dans la forêt, ca. 1890), patriotic, or "modern," works (Centenaire de l'Indépen-dence, 1892; Les Joueurs de football, 1908), and those with exotic themes (La Bohémienne endormie, 1897).