In the cultural context of late 19th and early 20th-century France, Rousseau’s art provided a stark contrast to the more realistic and impressionistic works prevalent at the time. He found inspiration in the exotic plants at the Jardin des Plantes and in illustrations from books. His approach to colour was especially striking, often using rich greens and bold contrasts that imbued his canvases with a sense of mystique and fantasy. His works, initially met with mockery, later found appreciation among avant-garde artists like Pablo Picasso, who admired Rousseau's untrained and sincere approach. Picasso and other artists of the Fauvist movement, such as Henri Matisse, recognised a kindred spirit in Rousseau’s bold use of colour and simplified forms, which contrasted sharply with the refined techniques of academic painters of his time.

1. The Dream (1910)

Henri Rousseau’s The Dream (1910) is one of his most celebrated works, known for its surreal and intricate jungle composition. At the centre of the painting is a nude woman reclining on a Victorian-style sofa, seemingly transported into an exotic jungle filled with lush greenery and wild animals. The vibrant foliage, painted with a remarkable array of greens, surrounds her, creating a sense of both enchantment and mystery. Beside her, a snake charmer plays a reed instrument amongst the gloom of the jungle, adding a synesthetic and hypnotic quality to the dreamscape.

What makes The Dream especially unique is Rousseau's imaginative and symbolic use of space and scale. The jungle is painted in rich, flat colours that lend an otherworldly feel, while the figure on the sofa remains oddly detailed, blending realism with fantasy. Initially worried that some viewers might not understand the painting, Rousseau composed a short poem to accompany the work:

2. The Sleeping Gypsy (1897)

“A wandering Negress, a mandolin player, lies with her jar beside her (a vase with drinking water), overcome by fatigue in a deep sleep. A lion chances to pass by, picks up her scent but does not devour her”; this was Rousseau’s own description of this work, a consternated yet peaceful coexistence between the overriding motifs of tension and calmness. Rousseau’s vibrant, oriental costume (perhaps a djellaba) contrasts against the muted, arid landscape, creating an evocative scene where the animalistic realities of fatigue and hunger dance around one another.

The seamless blending of horizon and sky, mediated by a far-off mountain range, enhances the dreamlike quality, casting the entire scene in a soft, surreal light through the deep, Prussian blue. Rousseau’s flat planes and layered colours contribute to an otherworldly ambiance that’s both poetic and mysterious. With its tranquil mood and imaginative details, The Sleeping Gypsy embodies Rousseau’s unique style of combining fantastical elements with serene compositions.

3. The Snake Charmer (1907)

Returning to the end of Rousseau’s active period we have The Snake Charmer (1907), where Henri Rousseau presents a mysterious jungle scene bathed in a subdued moonlight. A flute player, the eponymous snake charmer, stands centre-left of the composition, with a large snake draping over her shoulders. Her piercing yellow-eyed gaze, paired with dark and subdued hues of jungle vegetation, evokes a sense of enchantment and danger. The vegetation is meticulously painted with Rousseau’s characteristic use of greens, creating depth and texture that invite the viewer into this strange, hypnotic world.

While the figure undoubtedly commands attention, the surrounding jungle contains layers of intricate detail. The vegetation in the foreground, illuminated by moonlight, has a rhythmic quality, as if it pulses with life in response to the charmer’s melody. Light contrasts and use of shadows complicate the scene; here the moon, the fowl, and the open background are cast in a musky, subdued atmosphere. Comparatively, the pulsating and more vibrant vegetation seems to draw the eye, and consequently the viewer, into the depths of the jungle. The juxtaposition of the calm charmer with the potential menace of the dark snake hints at Rousseau’s fascination with the mystical connection between humans and the wild; daring the viewer to allow themselves to be subsumed into the mysteries of the jungle.

4. Carnival Evening (1886)

Carnival Evening (1886) captures a mysterious scene at dusk where two figures stand in carnival attire amidst a dark, and quickly darkening, forest. In terms of aspect, the upward range of the composition opens the painting up to a spacious night sky; a gradient of smoky blues extending into darkness. Meanwhile, the centre of the composition hosts a dull and dying light behind the trees. The figures, standing at the depths of this scene, appear almost ghostly against the barren trees and darkened sky, blending elements of fantasy and surrealism.

The moonlit sky and sparse landscape evoke an eerie, dreamlike atmosphere. Rousseau’s distinctive flat style and use of deep, saturated colours lend an unsettling quality to the painting, inviting viewers into a world where reality and imagination blur. This piece hints at Rousseau’s fascination with the mystical and his unique ability to convey an entire narrative within a single scene.

5. The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope (1905)

The Hungry Lion Throws Itself on the Antelope displays a powerful depiction of a lion attacking its prey amidst dense jungle foliage. At the centre, a lion sinks its teeth into an antelope, capturing a moment of raw intensity. The vivid red and green tones, painted with Rousseau’s signature flat planes, heighten the intensity of the natural violence at the centre of the composition below the subtle setting of the sun.

The surrounding jungle, teeming with life, includes a hidden panther and other animals, creating a layered setting which continually reveals new secrets. Rousseau’s rhythmic, detailed treatment of vegetation, coupled with the looming sunset, grants a sense of foreboding and reflects his fascination with untamed nature. Through simplified brushstrokes and smooth, flat layers, Rousseau achieves depth while maintaining a stylised dreamlike quality, merging beauty and brutality in this striking composition.

6. Notre Dame (1909)

Turning our attention to some of Rousseau’s work which can be often overlooked, we have Notre Dame. Here, Rousseau captures both his identity as an artist and his love for Paris. The solitary, black-clad figure with a walking stick evokes a miniature self-portrait, embodying Rousseau’s sense of place within the city. With the soft, eerie light on the spire of Sainte-Chapelle and the towers of Notre Dame, the scene exudes quiet nostalgia. Rousseau’s use of simple composition and vibrant colours reflects his late style, drawing inspiration from Corot, whom he admired.

The work likely combines photographic references with Rousseau’s memories of Paris, infusing it with a poetic, dreamlike atmosphere. The subdued yet evocative ambiance conveys a vesperal melancholy, where the barge mast and Notre Dame’s steeple harmonise across the river. Through this cityscape, Rousseau applies his familiar techniques to urban life, blending realism with his characteristic surreal quality and creating a timeless tribute to Paris.

7. Meadowland (1910)

Another less-typically attended to artwork from Rousseau’s oeuvre is Meadowland, where Rousseau’s use of colour shifts from the lush greens of his fantastical jungle scenes to the softer, more muted tones typical of a pastoral French setting. The keen observer will notice a distinct departure from Rousseau’s more exotic works; gentle and lighter hues of green and yellow dominate, conveying a sense of calm and expansiveness rather than the dense mystery found in the depths of the jungle. Rousseau employs simple brushstrokes and smooth layers to create a harmonious landscape that celebrates the tranquillity of rural French life.

The composition, with its open sky and scattered clouds, feels less enclosed than his jungle paintings, using lighter colours to evoke an airy, almost idyllic quality. The scene’s simplicity and gentle palette offer a contrast to his intense jungle scenes, reflecting the peaceful rhythm of the countryside. This approach highlights Rousseau’s versatility, showing how he could adapt his distinctive style to evoke the serenity of meadowlands, in contrast to the exoticism of untamed wilderness. Unfortunately, this was to be one of the last paintings Rousseau would produce; he sadly died of a blood clot after leg surgery the same year.

8. The Repast of the Lion (1907)

The Repast of the Lion captures a feeding lion in a lush, jungle setting, painted in Rousseau’s characteristic flat style. Despite the act of feeding taking place to the centre of the work, the floral ornamentation framing the scene seems to dominate the composition; sapphire blue flowers and canary yellow banana clusters adorn the frame, a dramatic interplay between the jungle’s beauty and its underlying brutality.

Inspired by his studies at the Paris botanical gardens, Rousseau meticulously depicted the vegetation with organic shapes and rhythmic patterns, immersing the viewer in a dense, surreal landscape. The smooth layers of paint and simple brushstrokes add an oneiric quality, blending realism with an idealised vision of untamed wilderness. This work expands upon Rousseau's late 19th-century jungle themes, illustrating his unique ability to convey both the serene and savage aspects of nature.

9. Self Portrait (Myself, Portrait Landscape) (1890)

Painted at the start of his career and debuted at the 1890 Salon des Indépendants, Self Portrait (Myself, Portrait Landscape) places Rousseau in a unique position, mediating the disparate genres of portrait and landscape painting. Dressed in black and adorned with a buttonhole insignia of the Ordre des Palmes académiques—a symbol of academic honour that would one day be awarded to a namesake of his, but never Henri himself—he stands against a backdrop infused with elements of contemporary Paris. This includes the now-lost metallic Pont du Carrousel, a dynamic texturing of personal and urban Parisian life.

Notably, for those with keen eyes, it can be seen that Rousseau inscribed the names of his two wives on his palette, a personal touch replacing an earlier inscription, “To not forget.” In the background, a red sun makes a subtle nod to Jean-Léon Gérôme’s Les deux majestés. By incorporating details like a hot-air balloon and diverse global flags, Rousseau celebrates both his private life and the changing landscape of Paris, presenting himself as both an artist and a witness to modernity.

10. The Waterfall (1910)

Henri Rousseau’s The Waterfall offers a serene view of untamed nature, with water spilling gracefully over rugged cliffs into a still pool below. In this piece, Rousseau moves away from his dynamic animal scenes, instead depicting the soothing rhythms of a tropical waterfall. Surrounding the cascade, he paints a lush variety of verdant vegetation, using layered greens and intricate textures to create a sense of depth within the dense jungle.

Rousseau’s seamless, untextured brushstrokes lend a fantastical quality to the scene, with each leaf and frond rendered in stylised detail. The tranquil water contrasts beautifully with the foliage, as light and shadow interplay across the surface, giving the jungle an almost timeless, dreamlike feel. Through The Waterfall, Rousseau invites viewers to experience the quieter side of his exotic landscapes, blending reality with an idyllic vision of natural splendour.

Henri Rousseau’s art captures a vivid spectrum of scenes, from lush jungles teeming with wildlife to serene Parisian vistas and symbolic self-portraits. His unique style blends flat colours, imaginative compositions, and dreamlike qualities that invite viewers into his fantastical world. Through these ten famous works, Rousseau’s artistic vision shines, revealing his ability to convey both the wild beauty of nature and the quiet charm of urban life. His legacy endures as a self-taught visionary who continually challenges and delights the imagination.

See more from Henri Rousseau here.