The artwork titled “Old Man Juniet’s Trap” is a creation by Henri Rousseau, an artist renowned for his Naïve Art, often associated with Primitivism. It was completed in the year 1908, utilizing oil paint on canvas. The dimensions of the artwork are 129 by 97 centimeters. As a genre painting, it depicts a scene from everyday life and is housed in the Musée de l’Orangerie located in Paris, France.
The artwork portrays a family or group of individuals riding in a horse-drawn carriage. The carriage appears simple, with a vibrant red-orange chassis and large wheels. In it, a man handles the reins, accompanied by several passengers. Each person in the carriage is presented with a distinctive facial expression and attire, indicative of Rousseau’s straightforward yet engaging representation of human subjects. The horse is white with dot-like markings, suggesting a dappled coat, and is outfitted with traditional harnessing gear.
In the backdrop, a leisurely landscape unfolds with a clear sky, scattered clouds, and lush green foliage suggesting tranquility and the serenity of nature. A black dog follows the cart closely, and a small black cat can also be seen in the lower right-hand corner of the scene. The approach in depicting the figures and scenery, typical of Rousseau’s style, lacks the perspective and proportion commonly found in academic painting, which imparts a dreamlike or imaginative quality to the work.
