Henri Rousseau

About the Artist

Henri Rousseau was born in France in 1844 and died in 1910, a Post-Impressionist artist who pursued Naïve art. Working as a customs official while pursuing art, he became widely known by the nickname 'Le Douanier' ('The Customs Officer'). He began painting in his forties and retired at 49 to become a full-time painter. Rousseau's work carries a simple yet powerful symbolism, depicting mainly nature, animals, and still life. His art went on to have a major influence on later avant-garde artists, and he is regarded as a self-taught genius.