The artwork “The Bievre at Gentilly” was created by Henri Rousseau in 1895. Made with oil on canvas, it represents the Naïve Art movement, specifically a branch known as Primitivism. Depicting a landscape, this piece currently resides in a private collection. Rousseau, with his distinctive painting style, managed to invoke a sense of simplistic charm and idyllic tranquility, common to the Naïve Art genre.
The artwork portrays a serene rural scene with dense, overcast skies suggesting a day of subtle tranquility or impending weather change. Flanked by lush trees in varying shades of green and autumnal tones, a series of white buildings with traditional sloping roofs appear nestled into the landscape. The foreground features patches of meadow and shrubbery leading to a water body, presumably the Bievre river, which meanders subtly in the lower part of the painting. There is an absence of human figures, directing the viewer’s focus to the natural setting and architecture. The painting’s perspective and use of color reflect a straightforward and direct approach to representation, indicative of Rousseau’s iconic style within the Naïve Art movement.
