The Snake Charmer by Henri Rousseau is a painting that will call you in and refuse to let you out. Picture this: a jungle with thick greenery and a lot of mystery. There stands a woman perhaps playing a flute in the shadows. She stands with a snake spiraling around her feet solidly hypnotized. Birds perch in the trees above, birds who watch the scene maybe even themselves are performing some strange ritual.
Who Was Henri Rousseau?
Henri Rousseau was no ordinary artist and was known by his Parisian pals as ‘Le Douanier’ (The Customs Officer). Rousseau was born in Laval, France, in 1844, and didn’t begin well. He was a toll collector, with the nickname, and worked as a sketcher to the side, developing his style without formal art training. As an amateur, he painted in his spare time and created lush vivid landscapes that often contained exotic jungles, even though he had never left France.
Now, here’s where it gets really interesting: His style was criticized in his time as too ‘naïve’, or ‘primitive’, but his work was loved by other avant-garde artists such as Pablo Picasso. His work was something they saw as groundbreaking, something pure, something almost childlike in a world of high-brow artistic conventions. It’s hard not to fall for Rousseau’s unfiltered, raw creativity, and let us be honest about it.
FUN FACT: He once convinced the legendary Pablo Picasso that he had been taught by some of the greatest academic artists of the time—despite having never had formal training!
His Career
With his retirement from the customs office, Rousseau’s career as an artist began. Most people are 49 and settle down, but Rousseau was just getting started. Marked by bright colors, dreamlike scenes, and thick smooth lines his art was part of the Post-Impressionist movement. While he didn’t paint as delicately as his peers did, his work conveyed a language all its own: sometimes realistic, sometimes brochures.
Rousseau wasn’t a good technical artist but he possessed the wonderful knack of telling visual stories in the strangest of ways. This is also shown by The Snake Charmer.
What Is Happening in The Snake Charmer?
| Artist | Henri Rousseau |
| Date Created | 1907 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Genre | Primitivism |
| Period | Post-Impressionism |
| Dimensions | 169 × 189.5 cm |
| Series / Versions | None |
| Where is it housed? | Musée d’Orsay, Paris |
The Snake Charmer is a painting that pulls you in and will not let you go. Picture this: lush greenery, a dark mysterious jungle. There is a figure, maybe a woman, playing a flute standing in the shadows. A snake goes around her feet, hypnotized by the music, winding around her feet. Up in the trees, birds perch watching the ritual as if they are all a part of it.
She is sprung from mystery as a figure of the charmer. Despite not interacting with the viewer or her environment she controls every part of the surroundings with a soft melody of her flute. The jungle itself breathes in a rhythm, the landscape behaves like it’s breathing. Everything is cast in a silvery glow from the moonlight which pours in, and the whole scene feels almost magical. The air is thick with suspense, but there is a calmness in the air.
And then there’s that snake. It seems to slither, coiled, mirroring the charmer’s music in as slow and mesmerizing a move as the tune. We see very detailed foliage in the background of the jungle. But what grabs your attention is the mood of the painting: It’s peaceful and unsettling at the same time. It’s a serene place, yet it’s mysterious. It makes you wonder: What magic is at play here? Who is this charmer?
What’s So Special About The Snake Charmer?
The Snake Charmer is remarkable for many reasons, starting with its unique origin. Although Rousseau never set foot in a jungle, he created a scene that feels deeply personal. His vivid imagination allowed him to conjure dream-like worlds with such clarity. The painting feels almost magical, as if you’re standing in a dark jungle, listening to the soft hum of the charmer’s flute.
This painting stands out for its balanced duality of light and shadow. The silvery moonlight bathes the entire scene, illuminating the snake’s scales and the lush foliage. What truly makes The Snake Charmer captivating is Rousseau’s skillful use of moonlight. He allows it to wash over everything, transforming the scene into something almost supernatural.
Interesting Facts About The Snake Charmer
A Jungle From Imagination: Rousseau never left France, yet his jungles look as if he painted them while sitting deep in the heart of one. The rich vegetation and animals were all inspired by his visits to the Paris Jardin des Plantes and his vivid imagination.
A Commissioned Work: Unlike most of Rousseau’s works, which he painted for himself, The Snake Charmer was commissioned by Berthe Delaunay. She wanted a jungle scene, and Rousseau delivered one with mystery, magic, and moonlight.
Lighting the Way: Rousseau’s use of light in The Snake Charmer is something to behold. The moonlight doesn’t just illuminate the scene—it gives it a dreamlike quality, making everything shimmer in an otherworldly glow.
Inspired by Paris: Despite the exotic setting, Rousseau’s inspiration came straight from Paris. He frequently visited the Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden with a menagerie of animals, and took those experiences back to his canvas.
Artwork Spotlight: Paysage de Forêt Vierge
Rousseau’s Paysage de forêt vierge, Lithographie originale signée et numérotée from 1976 is available on Singulart. This artwork is a nod to his lasting impact on the art world. Even long after his death, his jungle scenes continue to captivate art lovers around the globe.
Are you looking for a piece of artwork from Henri Rousseau?
Singulart has limited edition prints of Henri Rousseau. If you are looking for a piece of Rousseau‘s artwork for sale, simply click on the artwork or the button below to discover more!
FAQs
1. What techniques did Henri Rousseau use?
His paintings are distinguished by their dreamy aspect and painstaking attention to detail—every leaf, animal, and character is expertly rendered. Rousseau’s method made extensive use of layering.
2. Was Henri Rousseau a surrealist?
Despite being included in the naive art category, Henri Rousseau produced work that many categorized as primitive and even as a surrealist due to the variety of unique pieces he produced over his career.
Conclusion
The Snake Charmer by Rousseau is more than just a painting; it’s a journey into the jungle of the mind. Here, music meets nature and magic in perfect harmony. Even today, Rousseau’s ability to create soulful, surreal worlds continues to enchant us. The next time you stand in front of this masterpiece, let your mind wander into its mystery. Allow yourself to be charmed.
