Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!) 1891, Oil on Canvas 161.9 x 129.8 cm
The Dream
1910 (160 Kb); Oil on canvas, 6' 8 1/2" x 9' 9 1/2"; The Museum of Modern Art, New York
The Sleeping Gypsy
1897 (70 Kb); Oil on canvas, 129.5 x 200.7 cm (51" x 6'7"); The Museum of Modern Art, New York
I can see why Rousseau was criticized for his work in the early 1900's, his work is highly stylized, naive, flat, primitive. However, he despite the criticism his work began to be recognized for its technical complexity, and I'm sure the subject of his exotic tropical themes were very popular at the turn of the century in France--which despite what I would have believed, he never left at any point in his life. Over the years Rousseau has come to be considered a self taught artistic genius. Fun Fact: His work was the inspiration for the Madagascar films.
I actually find Rouseau's work so charming. There is such a romance to the scene he painted. It is not only a trip onto a tropical jungle, but a trip back in time. Its as much as an immersion into another world as reading a novel. Because of the way he painted its as if even the foliage can become a charters in his slightly magical world. I am a sucker for inane detail, an especially for things that are half hidden and lurking in paintings. The painting does take on an interactive game like quality at that point. It is playful, and mysterious and therefor draws the viewer right into the picture plane. I would like to make paintings that act in a similar fashion to Rousseau's. And I'm not too embarrassed to admit that I'm still a sucker for "wildlife art". Just need to find a way to keep it interesting and unexpected.
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