Waterfall

ID: #7339 | Postimpressionism | Landscapes

Among Henri Rousseau's final compositions, "The Waterfall" exemplifies the large-scale jungle scenes that brought him fame in the 20th century. A self-taught artist who juggled his artistic pursuits with a day job as a customs agent until the age of 49, Rousseau never ventured beyond France. Instead, he familiarized himself with the plant and animal life of distant lands through visits to Parisian botanical gardens, zoos, and popular books. Consequently, his landscapes often depict how Parisians of that era envisioned France's colonial empires in Africa and the Americas. In this painting, Rousseau crafted a secluded scene featuring two dark-skinned figures and a pair of deer near a stream, surrounded by thick foliage. As we observe them, seemingly unnoticed or just catching the attention of the deer, we encounter an imaginary tableau reflecting 20th-century European notions of escaping modernity and returning to a more tranquil origin.

Prevailing color of this fine art print is green and its shape is landscape. This image is printed on demand - you can choose material, size and finishing.

Henri Julien Félix Rousseau (1844 - 1910). French Post-Impressionist painter. He learned painting himself (he developed a specific naive style) and eventually became a brilliant artist whose paintings are firmly embedded in art history. For his profession as a customs officer, he is also called Customs (see his self-portrait known as Customs). He never left France, but became known for his paintings Jungle. Contemporaries often mocked him (they reproached him for his children's paintings). Picasso, who by chance saw one of his paintings and appreciated the quality of his work, prepared a banquet in Rousseau’s honour Dream.