Jungle

Tropical forest with monkeys is one of the paintings Henri Rousseau did in his lifetime. This jungle art has several monkeys, one eating fruit while the others look like they are playing. There is a bird seating on a branch of a tree and so many fruits suggesting its harvesting season.

Although most of Rousseau's work of art has jungle information, he never visited one during or after drawing. He drew based on what he had seen on other portraits or information he read. However, he frequented zoos and gardens in Paris, and it is probably from there that he got jungle inspiration. Henri dreamt of becoming an academic painter. But, he became the opposite, as illustrated by his images. First, his images lacked correct proportions, and he used sharp and unnatural colours. But, it is these imperfections that made his work exemplary. In fact, his work continues to inspire modern artists.

Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse are some of the people Rousseau inspired. These two artists endorsed Rousseau's work, and he was since then considered a self-taught genius contrary to what people thought of his work before his death. Other artists who Henri inspired include Max Jacob, Marie Laurencin, and Guillaume Apollinaire. Henri inspired not only other artists but also song and poem writers too. For instance, Joni Mitchell produced a song, The Jungle Line, based on Henri's painting. Among Lilies, the snakecharmer are some of the poems whose inspiration came from the work of Henri. Moreover, Rousseau's work inspired the popular film Madagascar. Indeed, Henri's work was exemplary, as illustrated by the people who he inspired and works whose origin is his painting.

Rousseau never attended an art school. It is for this reason that his painting depicted naiveness. He, however, got inspiration from listening to stories from people who went to jungles and other subtropical parts of the world. He also utilized the knowledge he acquired from academic artist Jean-Leon Gerome and Felix Auguste clement. Most of Henri's work is based in the jungle. In other words, there are several images with different information whose background is a jungle. Tiger in the Tropical Storm, Equatorial Jungle, The Dream, The Repast of the Lion, and a Hungry Lion Throwing itself on the Antelope are some of the canvas Henri painted portraying the forests. Henri was a post-impressionist, and he used oil and canvas. His work is unique, and for that reason, he continues to inspire new and existing artists.