The artwork entitled “Walking in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont” was created by artist Henri Rousseau between 1908 and 1909. It is an oil on canvas painting that belongs to the Naïve Art movement, specifically Primitivism, and can be classified within the landscape genre. This painting is currently housed in the Setagaya Art Museum located in Tokyo, Japan.
The artwork depicts a tranquil scene within the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, which is located in Paris. Dominating the composition are the tall, slender shapes of the poplar trees that draw the viewer’s eyes upward, creating a sense of height and grandeur. The colors are rich and autumnal, with varying shades of green, yellow, and brown that suggest the season. The foliage is rendered in a somewhat flat, decorative manner typical of Rousseau’s style, which emphasizes form and color over realistic detail.
The perspective leads down a winding path, drawing attention to two figures in the foreground who appear to be a mother and child, the mother walking and the child riding what seems to be a small scooter or push toy. Their presence adds a narrative element to the scene, suggesting the leisurely enjoyment of a public space. The relative size and vague detailing of the figures in comparison to the verdant landscape marking the hallmark of Rousseau’s approach to Naïve Art—presenting an idyllic, dream-like environment through a self-taught and unpretentious technique.
