Henri Rousseau – Genius or Talent-less Fool?

France’s most famous naïve painter was bornof his childish mentality. The defence counsel’s
in 1844, the son of an ironmonger. At school, Rousseaustrategy worked, and Rousseau received a
was a poor student and failed most of his exams. Bysuspended sentence.
the age of 19 he found work as a clerk in aRousseau died in 1910 at the age of 66, and was
lawyer’s office, until he was sacked for stealingburied in a pauper’s grave. Few of his drawing
stamps, and imprisoned for a month.survived; his family disposed of most of them after his
In an effort to redeem his standing, Rousseau joineddeath!
the French Infantry. After 5 years, he left the army,Rousseau’s lifelong desire was to paint in a precise
moved to Paris, and found work with the Customsand realistic style, but he lacked the necessary skill and
Office. His job was to check carts for smuggledtraining. In his paintings, the conventions of perspective,
goods at the city gates. His duties were limited due toproportion and illumination were ignored. Rousseau liked
his lack of capability. At the age of about 27,to paint animals, and copied photographs from books
Rousseau started to paint and draw in his spare time.using a pantograph. He could not paint feet, so always
In 1885, some fourteen year later, Rousseau made hisplaced his subjects ankle deep in grass. To prevent
public debut as an artist, and exhibited two pictures atthe need to create an impression of depth, he often
the “Salon des Artiste Independents”, anpainted a profusion of vegetation. 
exhibiting society formed by avant-garde artists whoRousseau’s most famous painting is possibly
were unable to gain acceptance at the “Salon des“the Sleeping Gypsy”, for which he drew
Artistes France”. Visitors mocked and laughed atinspiration from Gerome’s fabulous “Two
Rousseau’s paintings, but undeterred, he continuedMajesties”. Rousseau offered to sell his painting to
to exhibit each year.the mayor of his hometown, but the mayor declined
At the age of 59, Rousseau retired from his Customsthe offer, and the painting was discovered 25 years
Office job, and dedicated himself to painting. At aboutlater in a plumber’s workshop.
this time, he struck up a friendship with the writerRousseau was indifferent to the works of the
Alfred Jerry, who acted as his publicist, and introducedprogressive avant-garde artist around him, finding their
Rousseau to a new circle of contacts, includingpaintings too unfinished. Paradoxically, these artists
Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, and latterly Picasso.became appreciators of Rousseau’s work, and
Rousseau painted a portrait of Jerry, who destroyed itwere instrumental in his posthumous recognition as a
by using the picture for pistol target practise!great painter. In his work they saw the beginnings of
Rousseau’s new friends found his naivety, andSurrealism, and took pleasure in the childlike quality of
gullibility amusing, and he was subjected to a numberhis pictures.
of pranks, such as falling for a story that the PresidentFor my part, I can admire Rousseau for his dedication
of France had invited him to a grand reception.and effort. I cannot admire his artistic ability, because
Rousseau turned up at the gates of the Elyseehe was an adult painting like a child (in the same way
Palace, only to be turned away. At the age of 63 hethat I can draw little gratification from a childish book).
was arrested for fraud, because an acquaintance hadRousseau believed that his paintings were stylised, yet
persuaded him to open a bank account in a falsehighly realistic representations, and their surrealistic
name for the purposes of embezzlement. At his trial,worth is entirely accidental. That doesn’t make him
Rousseau’s paintings were presented as evidencea great artist.