Le Douanier Rousseau, au pays des rêves: the immersive exhibition at the Atelier des Lumières - photos

A pioneer of naive art and a poetic painter, Douanier Rousseau is honored at the Atelier des Lumières, with a marvelous new exhibition on view from February 14 to June 29, 2025.

Henri Rousseau, better known as the Douanier Rousseau, was one of the great French painters of the 19th century. Rousseau, who taught himself to paint, continues to inspire many artists with his idealism and highly recognizable style.

L'Atelier des Lumières is devoting an immersive exhibition to Douanier Rousseau, from February 14 to June 29, 2025. This retrospective, entitled Le Douanier Rousseau, au pays des rêves, features his most famous works, in a series of paintings that plunge us into the colorful, lush universe of this nature-loving painter.

Douanier Rousseau is best known for his paintings of jungles, exotic or unfamiliar landscapes, and very natural environments. Yet the artist never left France! Passionate about art and nature, Henri Rousseau found his inspiration at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris and in illustrated books, inventing worlds based on the exotic plants he saw in Paris parks.

By learning to paint on his own, Douanier Rousseau was able to build his style free from academic rules and standards. A pioneer ofnaive art, he let himself be guided by the colors and shapes that sprang to life in his imagination. His art earned him much ridicule, but also the recognition and admiration of those who saw in his paintings a new genre, such as Picasso, Kandinsky and Apollinaire.

L'Atelier des Lumières takes us on a magical journey into a poetic, marvellous universe, where we encounter lions, hot-air balloons, gorillas and soccer players in fascinating, colourful tableaux. In these moving tableaux, which surround us, we have the impression of being in animated film sets, in worlds straight out of fairy tales.

This exhibition showcases the works of Douanier Rousseau, with his monumental representations and colorful paintings. Adults can immerse themselves in the artist's world, while younger visitors can marvel at these joyful, childlike worlds.

An exceptional retrospective not to be missed! In the first part of the exhibition, discover Picasso and his art in motion.

Picasso, art in motion: a new immersive exhibition unveiled at the Atelier des Lumières
L'Atelier des Lumières takes us into the rich and iconic world of Pablo Picasso, the essential artist of the 20th century. From February 14 to June 29, 2025, don't miss the exhibition Picasso, Art in Motion. [Read more]