A young woman daydreams in front of Henri Rousseau's iconic painting The Sleeping Gypsy at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.  Rousseau, a toll collector for the city of Paris, was largely a self-taught painter, although he had ambitions of entering the Academy. This was never realized, but the sharp colors, fantastic imagery, and precise outlines in his work—derived from the style and subject matter of popular print culture—struck a chord with a younger generation of avant-garde painters. Rousseau described The Sleeping Gypsy as "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 yet does not devour her. There is a moonlight effect, very poetic."

 

Oil on hardboard

12 x 16 Inches

2021

Available for purchase.