Created from high-quality wood, milled with simple clean lines and presented with a satin finish. Includes an off-white mount that will not discolour or fade with age. - Simple, elegant design - Premium, fine art paper with a gently textured surface - Handmade by specialist picture framers - FSC certified off-white mat / window mount - Delivered ready for hanging

Henri Rousseau's painting, "The Snake Charmer," completed in 1907, serves as an evocative testament to his unique style and his penchant for fantastical landscapes. The painting captures a mysterious nocturnal scene with an eerily serene ambiance.

The central figure is a dark-skinned woman, partially veiled in shadow, playing a flute while surrounded by sinuous, winding snakes. The snakes seem mesmerized, coiling around her and the nearby foliage in a rhythmic dance. The woman’s gaze is cryptic, her expression unreadable, contributing to the enigmatic atmosphere.

In the background, the jungle scene is dense with lush, tropical vegetation. The plants and trees are meticulously detailed—an example of Rousseau's precise yet imaginative botanical renderings. The foliage contrasts with the soft, moonlit sky above, lending a sense of depth and otherworldliness to the scene.

A variety of animal eyes peer through the darkness, suggesting unseen creatures lurking within the jungle. This detail heightens the painting's mystery and immerses the viewer in Rousseau's world, where the boundaries between the natural and supernatural seem porous.

Rousseau employs a limited yet striking color palette. The predominant hues are deep greens and blues, juxtaposed with the lighter tones of the moonlit sky. The woman's figure, distinct with her darker skin and the undulating snakes, stands out against this backdrop.

Rousseau was known for his lack of formal training, which critics often describe as "naïve" or "primitive," yet his technique reveals a sophisticated use of line and color to create texture and depth. His meticulous attention to detail and the almost surreal clarity of his paintings defy conventional expectations of a self-taught artist.

Henri Rousseau (1844-1910), often referred to as "Le Douanier" (the customs officer), was a post-impressionist painter celebrated for his dreamlike and fantastical scenes. Rousseau began painting seriously in his forties, largely self-taught, developing his unique style outside the mainstream art movements of his time.

Though Rousseau's work fits into the Post-Impressionist period, his naive art often seems detached from the contemporary movements of Impressionism and Expressionism. "The Snake Charmer" embodies elements of Symbolism, with its mystical themes and dreamlike atmosphere echoing the works of some Symbolist poets and writers of his time.

"The Snake Charmer" was commissioned by art patron Berthe Rousseau, sister-in-law to the famed poet Guillaume Apollinaire—a testament to the painting's contemporary recognition and value. During Rousseau's lifetime, his work received mixed reviews; some criticized it for its perceived simplicity, while others appreciated its originality and visionary quality.

The original painting "The Snake Charmer" is housed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, one of the foremost museums for 19th-century art. The museum's collection provides the perfect context for Rousseau's work, surrounded by contemporaneous pieces from artists like Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat.

"The Snake Charmer" encapsulates the essence of Rousseau's artistic legacy—an enchanting confluence of imagination, meticulous detail, and evocative, mystical storytelling. It remains a powerful example of how an artist's unique vision can transcend the limitations of formal training to leave an indelible mark on the art world.