The Dream
Artist	Henri Rousseau
Year	1910
Medium	Oil on canvas
Location	Museum of Modern Art, New York
Dimensions	80½ x 117½ in
	204.5 x 298.5 cm

The Dream, which was created in the same year as his death (1910), was the last piece that was debuted by Rousseau before his untimely death a few months later. The exotic as well as the ordinary is what the piece brought together, creating a fun, unique, and distinguished piece that had not yet been seen in the art world. The jungle and the couch was something that was extremely distinguished, and something that did not fit together but, when included in the image, worked together very well. The two forms of juxtaposition not only intrigue the mind but also create a unique and distinct idea. Working separately, this would never go together, but when put in one image, they came together very well.

The Critics

Although it was not accepted immediately and had many negative reviews, it is one piece that truly created a piece of art that is widely discussed and talked about. The naked woman reclining on the couch, in the middle of the jungle, is something that not only seemed out of place, but also seemed surreal to many who viewed the strange and distinct art form. The woman in the painting had a dream that she was transported to the jungle, which created the strange and unique scene in the piece.

Those who loved and understood The Dream not only admired it but called it Rousseau’s greatest piece and the perfect end to his career. Although there were mixed reactions and many negative reviews of the painting, it is truly one of the most distinguished art pieces created by the painter. The out of place woman and the couch fit in well in the fabricated dream-like world of the painting. It truly stands apart from many other works that were produced by Rousseau and several other artists.