Happy Birthday Henri Rousseau!! You will have to excuse my tardiness, but it is the first day of my retirement and I have been taking it EASY...French painter, born in 1844, Rousseau served in the military and then worked in the Paris Custom's Office before retiring to focus full time on his art in 1893. Considered a Post-Impressionist, he painted in a primitive style intriguing to the Surrealists. Rousseau's masterpiece is the Sleeping Gypsy (1897), pictured here. He described it 's subject as a "wandering Negress overcome by fatigue". Fortunately the lion who happens by does not devour her! The crystal sky casts a haunting light over the scene.
Van Gogh's Ear is an in depth look at famous artists on their birthday. This is the second year a post is made each day about a famous artist, his/her art, interesting facts, personal experiences, etc. on their birthday. So, lend me your ear...
Blossoming Almond Branch in a Glass (1888)
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One of my favorite still life subjects of Van Gogh, the cut branch in a glass, I ran across this one with the book behind creating a complicated compositional element. Note also the use of complementary colors, red and green, creating a vibration in the painting.
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