Walking in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont 1909

Henri Rousseau made this painting with oils, and the way he’s handled them—well, it's like he’s building a stage set, layering flats of color one in front of the other. I wonder what it was like for Rousseau, getting lost in the park's foliage. The light is diffused, casting soft shadows and mellowing the scene. Look at those trees – not quite realistically rendered, but full of character. Each tree is a little world of its own, like a building block in a dreamscape. The figures feel like afterthoughts, as if they're just visiting this space that belongs to the trees. It's all so gentle and unassuming, like a quiet conversation between greens and yellows. You can almost feel Rousseau's touch in the repetitive brushstrokes, each one adding to the texture and depth of the scene. It's like he's sharing a secret with us.