A Centennial of Independence
1892
Henri Rousseau, a self-taught painter who worked as a toll collector, created this lively festival scene with his signature 'naïve' style. Notice how the dancers look almost like stiff paper dolls cut out and pasted onto the grass? Rousseau claimed he traveled to exotic lands, but he actually never left France, painting this vibrant celebration of flags and dancing figures from his imagination and local fairs. His flat, bright colors and dreamlike compositions eventually caught the eye of Picasso and other modern masters.
Location: Barnes Foundation
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