Rousseau’s Secrets

The Barnes is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the self-taught artist Henri Rousseau. This landmark exhibition brings together important paintings from collections around the world, showing how Rousseau painted with viewers in mind, changing his works and his story to suit their preferences.

Building on a comprehensive research study of the 18 works by Rousseau at the Barnes, the exhibition was developed in partnership with the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris, which houses the collection of the art dealer Paul Guillaume. 

Guillaume sold many Rousseau paintings to Dr. Albert Barnes but kept others for himself—this exhibition reunites these works for the first time in more than one hundred years.

Credit: Overview from museum website