Henri Rousseau

Rousseau, who lived from 1844 to 1910, was not at all familiar with correct draughtsmanship or the tricks of Impressionism. He painted in simple colours and compositions and showed every outline of the painting. This, while some may call awkward, has a poetic sense to it due to the simplicity of it.

As exemplified by this piece done by Rousseau, Portrait of Joseph Brummer, we see the simplicity of it. Each detail within the painting is outlined and clearly visible; even in the distance, we can still see the distinguishing outlines of the leaves on the trees. I find it fascinating in this regard due to the fact that while everything is in focus, flattening it, it still retains the sense of depth and liveliness, However, I don’t quite agree with the monotonous green present in the background. It’s still a remarkable painting, nonetheless.