Why Is This Woman in the Jungle? Henri Rousseau’s The Dream

Artist Henri Rousseau painted The Dream in 1910, and it’s imagery of a woman lounging on a sofa in the middle of a jungle was as surreal then as it is today. What is it about this artwork that captivated audiences then and now?

Title The Dream
Artist(s) Henri Rousseau
Dates 1910
Places Europe / Western Europe / France
Period, Culture, Style Post-Impressionism / Modernisms
Artwork Type Painting
Material Oil paint, Canvas
Technique

Cite this page as: The Art Assignment, "Why Is This Woman in the Jungle? Henri Rousseau’s The Dream," in Smarthistory, April 6, 2020, accessed February 22, 2025, https://smarthistory.org/why-is-this-woman-in-the-jungle/.