Henri Rousseau Biography

Another gem in the French repertoire of artists, Henri Rousseau’s self-taught talent is recognized today for his beautiful compositions and high quality Post-Impressionist style.

Rousseau specialized in natural scenery, often expending his efforts on lush jungles (jungles he never personally witnessed in his lifetime). One of his best-known paintings, however, had nothing to with jungles: The Sleeping Gypsy.

An oil on canvas work painted in 1897, The Sleeping Gypsy depicts a lion investigating a gypsy woman sleeping in a desert. A lute sits at her side and the moon hangs overhead.

Though potentially a menacing scene, there is an overriding feeling of the peace: the painting’s generally cool colours betray no passion in the lion beyond idle curiosity. And though it takes place at night, the moon and a smattering of stars amply and realistically brighten the painting. The end result is a dreamlike composition befitting the calm night sky that it depicts.