Henri Rousseau was a self-taught artist with a unique style, perhaps best exemplified in his visionary jungle scenes. These dream-like tableaux, for which he drew heavily on visits to the Botanical Gardens in Paris, captivate with the lushness of their plant and animal life, while at the same time unsettling the viewer with their rich combination of exoticism and romanticism. His extraordinary visual perception was nurtured by everything that he encountered, from postcards and early cinema to everyday experiences in the streets and parks of Paris. His unique vision and talent were recognised by Picasso and other modernist contemporaries who acknowledged his role in opening up new realms of artistic possibilities. With large, full-colour reproductions of his paintings and many previously unpublished illustrations of his sources and influences, combined with a wealth of new research on his life and work, this is set to become the definitive volume on this remarkable artist.
