Henri le douanier rousseau biography channels

(1844-1910)

Who Was Henri Rousseau?

While working as a toll collector in Paris, Henri Rousseau taught himself to paint and exhibited his work almost annually from 1886 until the end of his life.

He was given the nickname "Le Douanier" ("the customs officer") by his acquaintances in the Parisian avant-garde. Despite his connections with other artists and dealers, he never profited from his paintings; however, works like "The Dream," "The Sleeping Gypsy" and "Carnival Evening" influenced many artists who came after him.

Early Life and Work

Henri Julien Félix Rousseau was born into a middle-class family in the town of Laval in northwest France on May 21, 1844.

Henri le douanier rousseau biography channels youtube

Rousseau attended school in Laval until 1860. In his late teens, he worked for a lawyer and then enlisted in the army, although he never saw combat. In 1868, Rousseau left the army and moved to Paris, where he began working as a toll collector at the entra