Le Douanier Rousseau, ou l'éclosion moderne

This documentary film explores the secret inspiration and the little known influences of a painter whose canvasses are much less naïve than they appear to be. Henri Rousseau started to paint in Paris around 1880, at the age of 40. This self-taught artist was friendly with the poet Apollinaire, Robert Delaunay and Pablo Picasso, who recognized his genius, and yet his work was to remain underrated during his lifetime. However, with its dislocated compositions and profoundly dreamlike subject matter, it was to have a decisive influence on modern art, from surrealism to abstract art. (Arte)