Henri Rousseau

Henri Julien Félix Rousseau, also known by the nickname Le Douanier, was a French painter, printmaker, and artist. Born in Laval in 1844, he resided in his birthplace and later worked in Paris. He died in Paris from gangrene and is buried at Cimetière parisien de Bagneux and Jardin de la Perrine. His work is associated with the movements of Post-impressionism, primitivism, and naïve art.

Rousseau’s notable works include The Dream, Tiger in a Tropical Storm, Myself: Portrait – Landscape, and The Sleeping Gypsy. His art is held in the collections of the Städel Museum, Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art. He participated in documenta and spoke French. His works are described in sources such as the Granat Encyclopedic Dictionary.