A Centennial of Independence

Henri Rousseau

Oil on canvas

J. Paul Getty Museum

This vibrant, large-scale painting commemorates the one-hundredth anniversary of the first French Republic of 1792, depicting joyful revelers celebrating one of history's most consequential democratic triumphs over monarchy. Painted in Rousseau's distinctive Naïve style, the canvas bursts with flat, bold colors, a festive crowd, and the kind of earnest, unaffected charm that would later captivate the entire avant-garde art world. Rousseau — nicknamed "Le Douanier" for his day job as a Parisian toll collector — was entirely self-taught, only beginning to paint seriously in his early forties before retiring at 49 to dedicate himself fully to his art. Now housed at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, this work is a rare and joyful departure from his signature jungle scenes, making it a unique and historically rich centerpiece for any home.