The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau (Interpretation and Analysis)

The Sleeping Gypsy
Source: MoMA

Today, I want to talk about a rather odd—but charming—painting, The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau. Rousseau is an interesting figure in the history of French painting. He was a naïve artist, meaning that he didn’t have formal artistic training.

Perhaps as a consequence of this, his work has a very specific look, characterized by a lack of shading or definition, the use of bright colors, and an absence of three dimensional space. To twenty first century viewers, his work probably feels very modern. There is an element of directness and candor to his work that feels fresh and original.

The Sleeping Gypsy is one of his most famous paintings. It depicts a lion, stalking through the desert past a sleeping woman. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which owns the painting, describes interprets it as an otherworldly, somewhat surreal piece that taps into some aspect of humanity’s collective psyche. The MoMA notes, “With its flat planes of pure color, simple geometric forms, dreamlike atmosphere, and exotic subject, The Sleeping Gypsy at once conjures a desire for a preindustrial past and asserts its status as a new kind of modern art.”

While I agree with this interpretation, I think the true appeal of the piece comes from its use of juxtaposition. The contrast between the serenity of the sleeping woman and the implied ferocity of the lion plunges the viewer into a fantastical world that captures the imagination.

Rousseau had a similar interpretation. He described his painting in the following words: “A mandolin player, lies with her jar beside her (a vase with drinking water), overcome by fatigue in a deep sleep. A lion chances to pass by, picks up her scent yet does not devour her. There is a moonlight effect, very poetic." To my mind, poetic is indeed the correct word to describe this painting. Rather than conveying a definitive narrative, the painting creates an atmosphere, a dreamy sense of calm, that the viewer can carry with them.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.