Why Henri Rousseau?

Portrait of Pierre Loti

Pierre Loti

Picasso in front of the Rousseau painting he found in the trash.

Self-Portrait

The Rabbit's Meal, 1908

Portrait of a Woman, 1895. Found in the trash by Picasso

The Tabby

Picasso with two Rousseau paintings now in the Musee Picasso in Paris

Carnival Evening, 1886

Portrait of the Artist's Father

Portrait of Madame Rousseau

Happy Birthday

​It's understandable that many people don't get the fuss over Rousseau. Still, I am compelled to post a few of my favorites. Portrait of Pierre Loti is hilarious. Portrait of his father in the clouds is deeply moving, and Carnival Evening is so lyrical and haunting. The sensitivity, humanity, humor, dignity and compassion is in everything, and the relationship between that piece of lettuce and the rabbit is a total mystery. 

Picasso stands in front of Rousseau's Portrait of a Woman. He found the painting in the trash, "discovered" Rousseau and threw that famous party in celebration of his work. An older Picasso holds Rousseau's self and wife's portraits. These paintings are now in the Picasso Museum in Paris. I wonder how much we would know about Rousseau today without the clever Picasso. 

Recently I learned that Rousseau dedicated himself to art at age 49. As I am 49 this year, I feel inspired by his art and the knowledge that it's never too late to do anything.