The artwork titled “The Fishermen and the Biplane” is a creation by Henri Rousseau, a renowned artist affiliated with the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement. It was completed in 1908 and is part of the genre labeled as cityscape. Housed at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, France, the artwork measures 0.46 x 0.55 cm. Rousseau’s work is notable for its characteristic naïve style, featuring a thematic richness coupled with a certain innocence in its execution.
The artwork displays a distinctive composition that juxtaposes the tranquility of a rural scene against the innovative symbol of early aviation. At the forefront, several fishermen are depicted at the water’s edge, engaged in their timeless pursuit. They appear oblivious to the mechanical marvel of the biplane hovering above. The background reveals a series of white houses with orange roofs, framed by tall, slender trees, likely cypresses, that are reminiscent of the European countryside. The artist’s application of color and form imparts a dreamlike atmosphere to the scene, allowing viewers to contemplate the passage of time and the intrusion of modernity into peaceful landscapes. Henri Rousseau’s signature can be distinctly observed at the bottom left of the composition, grounding his identity within this serene yet thought-provoking tableau.
