Henri Rousseau
This is the picture with which Rousseau made his debut at the Salon des Indépendants. It was a masterpiece of its kind and an impressive beginning for the artist. Typical of his style, everything is literally and deliberately drawn—every branch of the trees is traced, the clouds have a curious solidity, and greater attention is paid to the details of costume than to the figures themselves.
The painting was a bit of a departure from Rousseau’s normal jungle motifs. Many critics weren’t sure how to take the painting since it features strange characters in an area that looks dark and dreary. An air of mystery pervades this wintry forest landscape. Dressed in festive carnival costumes, a lone couple stands in front of barren trees. The figures seem to shine from within rather than from the light of the moon, which has strangely left the forest in darkness. An unexplained face leers out from the empty hut beside the figures, and an unexpected street lamp incongruously glows nearby.