The artwork titled “Avenue de l’Observatoire” is an oil on canvas painting by Henri Rousseau, created in the period between 1896 and 1898. This piece is part of the Naïve Art movement, specifically associated with Primitivism, and portrays a cityscape. Currently, the painting resides within a private collection.
The artwork presents a serene view of an avenue lined with lush trees and foliage. The perspective leads the viewer’s eye down a path bordered by a fence on the right and a row of trimmed bushes on the left. Soft, pastel-like hues of blues and pinks in the sky suggest a tranquil time of day, possibly dusk or dawn. The trees and plants are depicted in varying shades of green, displaying Rousseau’s characteristic flatness and simplicity in their form. One can discern several figures walking along the path and a solitary individual, possibly a laborer, who is prominently situated in the foreground amidst mounds of earth or rubble. The relaxed and everyday quality of the scene is emblematic of Rousseau’s style, which often imbued a dreamlike quality into depictions of ordinary places.
