View of the Sevres Bridge and Clamart Hills, Saint-Clyde and Bellevue with a biplane, balloon and airship

Henri Rousseau was a self-study artist nicknamed the “customs officer” because he had worked at customs in Paris for a long time. His artwork was tied to the rise of “primitivism,” which was a new art concept in his time. Rousseau was the most prominent representative of this movement. His art was influenced by the art works of the old masters, the contemporary artistic environment, urban culture with its ads, posters, and photos, and finally, by nature. Even with all this background, his art nevertheless is an example of contemporary myth-making. In his painting “View of the Pont Sevres and the Hills of Clamart, Saint-Cloud and Bellevue,” Henri Rousseau showed a specific location in Paris, but he rendered it based on a photo. He did make some sketches from life, however. The composition becomes intrinsically significant because of the arrangement of objects in a strict order – the river with barges, houses and trees on the banks, arch bridges, and three aeronautic devices. The painting is a seamless mix of the real and surreal – the houses, barges, balloon, arch bridges, and zeppelin. All of these were the painter’s reflections on his real life experience. It is well known that on July 14, 1907, Henri Rousseau witnessed the test flight of the zeppelin “Motherland,” which he depicted in his painting. He added the balloon and biplane, thus bringing together in one picture three aeronautic units that captivated his mind and became a symbol of the new epoch. The painting can be interpreted as a symbol of the approaching future. That is why Henri Rousseau seems to omit all details. The sharply defined objects seem exceptionally monumental. Naivety and freshness of viewpoint were Rousseau’s characteristic features until his last day. This is what makes his art works somewhat enigmatic.