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Douanier Rousseau (1844-1910)
Douanier Rousseau (1844-1910)

"Few artists have been more mocked during their lifetime than" Le Douanier". Few men also have faced more calmly the gibe and coarse remarks thrown upon him. This courteous old man always kept the same gentle spirit and, by a happy turn of character, wanted to perceive the very mockeries as signs of interest for his work. This serenity reflected of course his own pride.. " Le Douanier" was conscient of his talent. Once or twice, he even insinuated that he considered himself as one of the most talented painters of his time. He may have lacked an artistic education, but it seems that later, when he wanted to paint, he studied the old masters with passion. "One out of few modern painters it seemed he guessed their secrets [...]" Guillaume Apollinaire.
After the Franco-Prussian war of 1870, Henri Rousseau joined "Octroi", the Toll Collectors Office in Paris. This organization collected the taxes on incoming merchandise to Paris. This was the origin of Rousseau's nickname, "Le Douanier", the customs officer. At this time, he began his career as an autodidact painter and he obtained a copyist's pass for the Louvre Museum which allowed him to become familiar with their masterpieces. He entered art late in his life. Without success the tried to expose at the official "Salon" of 1885. In 1886 he was able to participate at the Salon of Independent Artists due to the fact that there was no entry jury. His reputation grew over the years and he continued to participate each year at the Salon of Independent Artists.
He made every effort to reproduce what he saw and to make it consistent with what he knew factually. There is an abundance of exoticism in his work, even if Rousseau practically never left Paris. His exoticism is imaginary, stylized and inspired by his visits to "Jardin des Plantes" or "Jardin d'Acclimatation", illustrated journals or even the botanical reviews of the time. Although a solitary person, he benefitted nevertheless from the protection and admiration of the avant-garde artistic circles. He was an original colorist with a minimal though precise style who influenced Naïve Art.
89-000001-01
Anonymus
Paris, musée national Picasso - Paris
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