The Banks of the Oise 1905

Henri Rousseau made "The Banks of the Oise" with oil on canvas, and, right away, you can feel how he’s building the image up, bit by bit. Look closely at the way he applies color: the earthy greens, browns, and reds sit next to each other, creating this really still, almost dreamy space. The texture, even though it's paint on canvas, feels like you could reach out and touch the smooth water or the fuzzy trees. Those little sailboats, they’re so still, like toys floating in a pond! See how he’s carefully painted each little tree and bush, giving the landscape a naïve but carefully observed feeling? There’s something so direct and honest about Rousseau’s way of seeing. You get the sense of an artist fully immersed in the act of painting, adding detail by detail, moment by moment. He brings to mind other self-taught artists like Bill Traylor, who create their own visual language.