Hommage au Douanier Rousseau, Paris 1980

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Boubat’s photograph salutes The Dream, 1910, which was the final painting of Henri Rousseau (1844-1910). A self-taught painter, Rousseau was revered by a number of early twentieth century French avant-garde artists including Picasso. They nicknamed Rousseau “Douanier” because he had worked as a tax collector before devoting himself full-time to his art. Rousseau was best known for his jungle scenes. Ironically, he never traveled outside France so had never experienced a natural jungle, just those simulated in French conservatories. Perhaps to highlight that fact, Boubat identifies Paris as the locale for this photograph.

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