The Repast of the Lion 1902 - 1912

Henri Rousseau made "The Repast of the Lion" using oil on canvas, and it's a feast for the eyes! It’s like he’s building up the image bit by bit, almost like a child stacking blocks, making something utterly unique. The flatness of the paint, the way he layers those greens and yellows, it's so upfront about being a painting, you know? Look at those plants; they are so carefully delineated, each leaf distinct, as though he is trying to capture their very essence. It’s the way he takes his time with the paint, almost like a form of meditation. And that lion, right in the middle, clutching its prey. It’s both savage and adorable, isn't it? Rousseau reminds me a bit of Florine Stettheimer, in the sense that they both create these incredibly artificial, theatrical spaces in their paintings. Ultimately, I think he reminds us that painting can be a space for exploration, a place where we can create our own worlds, and really, what could be better than that?