Henri Rousseau

1844 - 1910

Henri Rousseau was born to a poor tinsmith and his wife in northwestern France. He was not a very good student and showed no particular talent for art when he was young. On days off from his job as a customs agent, Rousseau taught himself to paint. At 41, he quit his job so he could paint fulltime. To make ends meet, he taught music and art to people in his neighborhood; at times he even resorted to playing his violin on street corners. Rousseau was quite poor yet he always shared what little he had with others. Towards the end of his life, art collectors began to buy his paintings, but he sold them for very little and died a pauper at 66.

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Art Activities - Henri Rousseau
Includes background information on Henri Rousseau and several classroom activities for different grade levels.
Level: Grades 5-8