The artwork titled “Cliffs,” created by Henri Rousseau circa 1897, is an oil painting on canvas measuring 35 by 22 centimeters. This piece is emblematic of the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement, known for its simplicity and lack of conventional technique. The genre of the artwork is landscape, and it currently resides at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, France.
“Cliffs” portrays a serene coastal scene with the soft, rolling forms of the cliff faces dominating the backdrop. Cast in muted earthy tones, the cliffs loom over a calm sea. In the foreground, two figures are visible within a small rowboat, lending a sense of scale and human presence to the composition. To the left, a solitary sailboat with its sail unfurled glides on the water, adding movement and balance to the scene. The artwork reflects Rousseau’s distinctive style, characterized by a flatness of form and a dream-like, somewhat surreal quality that defies the conventions of academic art of his time.
