Henri Rousseau, Exotic Landscape, 1910, CA, USA
Do you see the monkey falling into the shrubbery? And how oranges shower down upon him? Fascinating. The monkeys definitely have some sort of social dynamic. I imagine them to be highly intelligent. They live in a dreamlike otherworldliness where oranges spot the scene like polka dots and leafy branches curl into one another (side note that I love the color of the sky). The slapstick mixed with paradise feels whimsical. And sardonic, too, even grim...It’s hard to articulate the emotion the painting evokes in me. It isn’t pleasant, not exactly. But feeling it is strangely pleasant. I think the subtle darkness gives me a tiny thrill.