Corner of the Plateau of Bellevue 1902

Henri Rousseau, in this painting, takes on the challenge of representing a corner of the Plateau de Bellevue, and in doing so, he kind of flattens and abstracts the space, using a palette of earthy tones and stark blacks. I love how the shapes of the trees are almost like stencils, layered to create depth, but also denying it. You can almost imagine Rousseau carefully placing each leaf and branch, trying to capture the essence of the forest. The little figure walking the path adds a touch of narrative, drawing you into the scene. Rousseau was a self-taught painter, which I think gives his work a unique charm. He wasn't bound by the conventions of academic painting, so he was free to experiment and create his own visual language. I feel a connection with that. We are all in an ongoing conversation, trying to figure out ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world. It's inspiring.