Theodore Rousseau is a great French artist of the 19th century, a famous master of landscape genre and realistic style in European art. Theodore Rousseau rightfully belongs to the honorary title of the founder of the Barbizon School a creative association of a group of painters for whom nature was not a background for paintings, but the main subject of an image.

He is also considered the greatest popularizer of plein air painting. He loved to create in the open air and reasonably believed that only outside the workshop it is possible to thoroughly depict the colorful wealth of nature on canvas.

Biography of Theodore Rousseau

Theodore Rousseau was born in Paris into an ordinary bourgeois family. His parents had nothing to do with art, his father was the owner of a fashion studio. Fortunately, the parents did not interfere with the desire of Theodore and his younger brother Philip to study painting. Subsequently, both junior Russo became famous artists and earned recognition from art connoisseurs all over the world.

The teacher instilled in the teenager a love of the landscape genre, out-of-town walks and painting in nature. Already at the age of 19, Theodore Rousseau achieved recognition from the demanding French public. His wildlife landscape in 1831 impressed both critics and audiences at the Paris Art Salon. But the first success was short-lived. The organizers of the prestigious art exhibition were very reluctant to exhibit the works of the young artist for the next 4 years, and in 1836 they completely refused to accept his painting for the next show.

Public rejection and sharp criticism of art critics had a strong influence on Rousseau.

He passionately wanted to leave Paris for the outback, where the painter could be alone with his work. The ideal place for this was the small town of Barbizon, 50 kilometers from the French capital. In this village there were only 40 houses and one hotel, but nearby was the vast forest area.

At first, Theodore Rousseau came to Barbizon from time to time. Here he wrote all of his most famous works. In 1848, the artist and his wife finally moved to the province and a group of like-minded landscape painters gradually formed around him. Rousseau had a particularly warm relationship with Jean-François Millet, who was his best friend until his death.

The years spent in Barbizon cannot be called happy in the life of the great master.

Although his work gradually began to be in demand among the public, the family’s financial situation remained very difficult. The elderly father could no longer provide his son with financial assistance, his wife was constantly sick, and Russo did not have rich patrons.

Although at the World Exhibition of 1853, the works of Theodore Rousseau were recognized as one of the best in the exhibition, the audience was in no hurry to buy them. Life difficulties undermined the health of the master. In August 1867, as a result of a stroke, the artist was paralyzed. The painter never recovered from a serious illness and died on December 22 in the presence of Millet. Shortly before his death, real fame came to Rousseau. He was even appointed chairman of the jury of the 1867 World’s Fair and made a Knight of the Legion of Honor, but it was too late.