The artwork titled “Landscape with Farmer” was created by artist Henri Rousseau in the year 1896. It is an oil painting on canvas that belongs to the Naïve Art movement, specifically Primitivism, which is characterized by a childlike simplicity and often an untrained artist’s perspective. The genre of the artwork is landscape, and it currently resides within a private collection.
This particular painting portrays a serene rural setting where nature is depicted in vivid, autumnal colors. In the foreground, barren trees with thin, delicate branches frame the composition, allowing the viewer’s gaze to wander into the middle ground where a farmer can be seen working the land. The use of color transitions from darker tones in the foreground to lighter, warmer shades which envelop the central part of the artwork. Behind the farmer, a white house with a red roof sits nestled among trees that appear to blaze with fiery foliage, contributing to a rich tapestry of hues that evoke the essence of fall.
Further back, a modest white chapel with a spire pierces the skyline, adding to the pastoral charm of the scene. The backdrop features gentle hills that fade into the hazy, overcast sky, hinting at the expansive landscape beyond. Rousseau’s composition shows a mastery of depth and atmosphere, with a simple yet captivating use of form and color to create a tranquil countryside tableau. While the scene is characterized by a sense of peace and timelessness, it also conveys the quiet toil of rural life through the presence of the lone farmer amidst an idyllic, yet labor-intensive, environment.
