Rousseau, Henri - Myself, Portrait Landscape Fine Art Print
An archival premium Quality art Print of Myself, Portrait Landscape by Henri Rousseau for sale by Brandywine General Store. The artist finished this oil on canvas in the year 1890 with the original artwork now hanging in the National Gallery in Prague. Rousseau is wearing his artist's uniform, a dark suit of black, which was banned by the Impressionists, having a hint of the Napoleonic tricorne. These things and others in the painting serve to tell us that he thinks he is among the first tier of artists. He looms large above the Parisian quayside, being even taller than the Eiffel Tower and almost standing as tall as the balloon in the sky. Rousseau was constantly made fun of with his naive art style, he was never took seriously, so this painting shows how he felt where he belonged in the art world. Behind him are a series of National Flags, mnost which are freely invented by him except for the tricolor and the Union Jack. These create a garland for the painter with a promise of international fame. This scene is in the port of St. Nicolas with the artist having his back turned to the Pont du Carrousel. All of the above are musings of the art critics, the real reason of the painting might simply be that Rousseau wanted to paint a portrait of himself but didn't want the usual drab backgrounds and decided on a muted version of Paris that he painted in behind him to add some excitement to his self portrait. If he would have made himself in proportion to the scenery, you would barely have been able to see him and that would not have been much of a portrait. Famous Artists print #157