Self-Portrait 1895

This is a self-portrait by Henri Rousseau, probably made near the end of his life, rendered with pen and ink on paper. These are relatively humble materials, far removed from the grand traditions of oil painting on canvas. You can see Rousseau using a hatched, repetitive line to build up a sense of volume in his figure. It's a direct technique, leaving little room for error. It shows the artist's hand, bearing witness to the time and labor involved. There’s a sense of honesty, almost naivety, in the way Rousseau approaches his own image. Rousseau was a self-taught artist, who worked as a toll collector his entire life. His paintings were often criticized in his time because they didn’t adhere to academic standards. Looking at this self-portrait, we can appreciate the artist's direct approach, and how it reflects the realities of his social position and economic circumstances. It blurs the lines between fine art and the everyday act of drawing, reminding us that artistic expression can be found in the most common materials and techniques.