Born in 1844, Henri Julien Félix Rousseau was born to a family of tinsmiths in the French town of Laval, Mayenne, but enjoyed the arts of music and drawing at a young age. Despite his artistic inclinations, as an adult he found himself working a tax collector, which contributed to his nickname, Le Douanier (the customs officer). As he grew older, he began to throw himself more and more into his art. His painting career truly began to pick up when he was in his 40’s, and he began exhibiting his pieces more regularly.
His artworks focused on scenes in the jungle and he was honored for his style and brilliance by renowned artists like Pablo Picasso. While his work received much criticism for its naive and primitive style, Rousseau is well-recognized in the art world as a self-made and self-taught genius whose paintings continue to influence and inspire avant-garde and impressionist artists. These paintings are sure to light a spark within you!
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Cliff, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
(By Henri Rousseau, Wikimedia Commons)
These Paintings Bring to Life Treasures of Our Childhood!
American artist Charles Bell brought to life wondrous memories of childhood fun with his gorgeous hyperrealistic paintings
The Many Works of Edvard Munch, Creator of "The Scream"!
Edvard Munch is an artist most renowned for his iconic painting "The Scream". The full length of his works are varied and no less beautiful
The Lovely Impressionist Paintings of Artist Childe Hassam
Childe Hassam was a prolific American artist whose paintings majorly influenced Impressionist art, as you'll see in these 22 paintings
Edgar Degas, One of the Most Brilliant French Painters
Edgar Degas was a renowned impressionist and realist painter in 19 century France who created some truly incredible masterpieces
Alzheimer’s Progression Through Self Portraits
Watch the progression of Alzheimer’s dead ease through periodical self portraits
I’m in Love with These Modern Impressionist Paintings
September McGee is an energetic modern American artist who paints figurative impressionist artworks. Her gorgeous canvases radiate with a robust energy.
These Realistic Works of Art are Made with a Ballpoint Pen
Take a look at Andrey Poletaev's stunning ballpoint pen art.
David vs. David: Comparing Two Classic Sculptures
Examining two sculptures by two distinct and famous artists: Donatello and Michelangelo
A Huge Domino Display with 35,000 Pieces!
This marvelous domino display is made of 35,000 pieces, as well as a lot of other objects that add to the fun. Watch it all unfold!
Amazing Performance: The Levitating Woman!
Stevie Pink amazes the crowd of reality show 'Britain's Got Talent' as his assistant simply.. floats, without any indication that she is being held up by anything! An amazing sight to see, and beautifully performed!
Love Mozart? Here Is Every One of His Amazing Symphonies!
Mozart was composing symphonies since before he could write music notation! Here are all of his genuine symphonies for your listening pleasure.
This Interpretative Dance Made Me Scream With Laughter!
Watch David Armand ridiculously mime Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now,' while a couple of audience members try to guess the song. Hilarious!
Farewell Tina: 24 Hits of the Incredible Diva Tina Turner
We invite you to celebrate Tina Turner's life and legacy by enjoying her 24 unforgettable hits that will continue to inspire generations to come.
See Andre Rieu Make Musical History With 'You Raise Me Up'
Watch in amazement as the legendary musician, André Rieu, performs an outstanding rendition of 'You Raise Me Up' alongside the Johann Strauss Orchestra.
16 Brilliant Embroidery Works You Need to See Now!
Embroidery, an ancient art form, has found new life in the digital age through the power of social media. Here are some stunning examples.
This Street Art Is Simply Stunning. Take a Look...
Street art tends to divide opinion, but there's no denying how good the next 30 pieces of art are. They're bound to grab your attention!
This Sublime Classical Performance Will Take You to Heaven
This beautiful video celebrates two wonderful musicians together, one on cello and the other on the violin. Here they play Czardas.
You Can't Watch This Performance Without Falling in Love...
Alice Fredenham seduced her judges when she delivered this immortal performance of 'My Funny Valentine'.
You Have Never Heard Drums Played This Beautifully Before
Listen to these drums play in this incredible performance.
A Gorgeous Cover of a Beautiful Classic...
Watch two incredible artists use voice and cello to bring this classic song to life.
These Paintings Perfectly Capture the Essence of the Ocean
These seascapes are hypnotizing. Check out the astounding work of Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky.
Even With a Cello, These Guys Are Absolute Stars
If you only associate the cello with one type of music, you are underestimating this instrument's versatility!
This Scottish-Themed Dance on Ice Will Blow You Away!
If you are a fan of dancing on ice, then we have got one heck of a treat in store for you!
Stunning! This Miniature Bird Art is Made from Paper
Check out this stunning miniature bird art.
Watch a Talented Young Dancer Turn the World Upside Down!
Veronika Khistova is only 14 in this video, but she makes everyone laugh with her upside-down dancer routine!
Fall in Love with these Enchanting Paintings..
Kal Gajoum specializes in oil painting and palette knife techniques. Here are his mesmerizing and magnificent paintings.
This Artist Turned Her Unique Paper Art Into a Living
Portuguese artist Sena Runa's beautiful paper quilling art has resulted in her amassing a staggering 100,000 followers. Take a look at her unique work here.
Want to Paint? Here's a Complete Guide For Taking it Up!
Ever wanted to take up painting as a hobby, but had no clue where to begin? This complete guide to painting and drawing will answer all your questions.
Take a Closer Look... These Are Not Photographs
It may be hard to believe, but what follows are not photographs, but watercolor paintings, created by Spanish artist Iban Navarro.
In Under 2 Minutes, This Artist Will Blow You Away!
This amazing painter is going to astound you, just give him 90 seconds...
This Romantic Dance Duo Routine Will Give You The Chills...
A perfect dance by the dance couple, Duo Flame, that will leave you breathless.
So Satisfying! Watch a Destroyed Painting Come to Life
Watch this nearly destroyed portrait come back to life as a restoration expert walks you through the process of mending the beautiful artwork
10 Beautiful Poems by Some of the All-Time Greats
If you are a lover of poetry, then these are poems you should definitely read.
I Can't Get Enough of This Acrobatic Display!
This young acrobatics group is really beautiful in motion.
This Young Violinist Will Treat Your Ears to Heaven...
watch as 11 year old Tyler Butler-Figueroa wows the judges of America's Got Talent with his violin music.
These Stunning Pictures, Believe It Or Not, Are Hand Drawn
These pictures, despite looking like they have been captured with a camera, are actually all drawn by hand. Totally amazing.
Stan Munro's Toothpick Art Is Unbelievably Painstaking
This man took 6 million toothpicks and six years to create one of the most impressive miniature displays that you'll ever see.
Woah! How is it Possible to Build Such Beauty Using Sand?
Japanese artist Toshihiko Hosaka has been making sand sculptures for the last two decades and his art will astound you!
The Most Beautiful and Rare Glass Collection in the World
This museum is full of the beauty of glass making.
Check Out These Surreal Artists and Their Amazing Artworks
In this post we have brought you a collection of 8 surreal artists, each with their own artistic style and unique imagination
MUSIC BOX: These Johnny Cash Songs are Just Wonderful
Johnny Cash uniquely crossed several important genres of all-American music. His influence is impossible to underestimate. Enjoy this selection of 20 greats!
6 Priceless Art Pieces Were Ruined by Reckless People
As these accidents show, tourists can be more reckless around precious art than you'd expect and the invaluable art pieces are completely or partially destroyed.
This Version of Hallelujah is So Serene and Special
Violin prodigy Karolina Protsenko and the talented saxophonist Daniele Vitale joined forces, in this incredible duet of Leonard Cohen’s classic ‘Hallelujah'
This Artist Uses Just One Tool To Create Stunning Art
Leonid Afremov creates all his beautiful art using just a single tool - a palette knife. View his stunning creations here.
Impressive! I Can't Believe What This Illusionist Does!
If you love a good magic trick! You'll love this!
This Stunning Chapel in Naples Will Leave You in Awe
This chapel looks more like a museum than a church. Take a look at its stunning sculptures here.
Smile as These 2 Prove You're Never Too Old to Dance!
If you think you're too old to dance, then you'd better think again!